"Chinese Lunar New Year, one of the largest holiday celebrations in the world, occurs two lunar months after the winter solstice. Festivities begin on the darkest night of the month on the new moon and last until the 15th day of the lunar month when the moon is the brightest, serving as both a reminder and a celebration of the return of spring.
"The New Year celebrations often include parades, fireworks (the louder the luckier), red lanterns and other red decorations because the color red represents happiness and life. Red isn’t a color often seen in winter so its use in this holiday is a nod to the spring and the year ahead.
"Legend has it that in ancient times Buddha asked all the animals of the earth to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each and pronounced that people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality traits.
"February 8th, 2016 marked the beginning of the year of the monkey. People born in a monkey year are said to be inquisitive, energetic, gregarious and mischievous. And much like an actual monkey, the monkey year should be fast paced and marked by flux, as if the year itself has a short attention span. For those who prefer a steady pace with slow transitions, this year may challenge you to roll with change and may frustrate you if you find that you cannot.
"The year of the monkey is considered a time that favors innovation, creativity and breakthroughs; monkey years are said to produce unconventional solutions to long-standing problems. This is a time to embrace the inventive and run with new ideas or even an idea you’ve been mulling a while that has seemed a little out of reach; dare to be different!
"This year will be the ideal year to start a meditation, prayer or relaxation practice. The energy of the monkey year is said to jump quickly from project to project, from topic to topic with frenetic energy and can create an unsettled or scattered mind in any of us."
Good Luck in the New Year!
Reprinted from my colleague, Christi DeLarco, L.Ac., Newsletter of Stillpoint Acupuncture, Greensboro, NC.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
One of my colleagues, Cara Frank of the Six Fishes Clinic in Philadelphia, wrote a wonderful article that I am re-printing here. Thanks, Cara!!
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
Cara O. Frank, L.OM.
Bone Broth is having its moment. What used to be bouillon, stock, consommé and soup now has a new moniker: Bone Broth. In NYC, there’s even a bone broth shop!
There are numerous reasons to be enthusiastic about bone broth as a health building food. When bones are simmered for an extended period of time, the gelatin and collagen in the connective tissue breaks down and is infused into the broth. This creates a soothing, protein and mineral-rich medium that is not only delicious, but is also deeply healing and restorative to the body. Bone broths form a foundational pillar for many dietary protocols, such as the GAPS diet.
Chinese medicine uses several different gelatins as part of their materia medica; notably ass hide gelatin ē jiāo 阿胶, deer antler gelatin lù jiǎo jiāo 鹿角胶 and tortoise plastron gelatin guī bǎn jiāo 龟版胶. The first tonifies the blood, the second tonifies the yang and the last nourishes the yin, yet all of them overlap in their actions to a certain degree. The word jiāo translates as glue, or gelatin. We include them in formulas when patients need deeper “flesh and blood” tonification than plant materials can provide.
Bone broth builds the foundation for good health: In Chinese medicine, we are always treating the Yin and Yang and the Qi (energy) and Blood. Yin refers to a more cooling and moist energy. Yang is warmer and dryer. Yin is further subdivided into thin and thick yin. Water might nourish the thin yin fluids of the body, while bone broth, rich with gelatin, nourishes the thick yin or the deeper moisture of the body. This deep hydration can be visualized by remembering the old fashioned remedy of using gelatin to treat arthritis. Or the use of Synvisc injections for bone on bone joint degeneration.
Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means it’s a solid liquid. The liquid suspension nourishes the thick yin. Because it is so nourishing, we can also say that it nourishes our qi and because it is warming, it can also nourish the yang. Because many bones contain marrow, which becomes part of the broth, it also nourishes the blood. Therefore, bone broths can be thought of as a medicinal food. My teacher Huang Huang taught us that cooking a pig’s foot with dates, licorice and ginger was equivalent to using ē jiāo. Because these gelatins have a viscous nature, we use them when we need to add a rich, unctuous dimension to an herb formula. So, in relation to infertility, we might use these when there is a thin endometrium, or when there is recurrent miscarriage.
Making bone broth is easy, especially if you have a slow cooker:
Basic Bone Broth Recipe:
1.5-2 lb of Grass-fed Beef Bones, Organically Fed Pork Bones, or Organically Raised Pasture Raised Chicken Bones, or organically handled fish bones (make sure to include the fish head) Boutique butchers and farmers markets are great sources for these products.
A Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic, with the “Mother” material)
COLD Water to cover (warm water will make the broth cloudy)
Herbs (optional)
Veggie Scraps. Optional, but it really makes it taste better. Don’t use cruciferous vegetables. They don’t taste good.
Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns
If using beef or pork bones, consider roasting them on a sheet pan at 375 degrees until well browned. Drain the fat.
Place your bones in a slow-cooker, or large saucepan on the stove, and splash with vinegar. Add fresh herbs or vegetable scraps if you like, or a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, etc, to taste.
Fill pot with water.
If in crock-pot: set on “low” and let run for at 10-24 hours or run it for two 10 hour cycles
If on stovetop: simmer on low for 20-24 hours
Remove bones and fat in one of two ways:
While hot: Skim off fat and any material from the fat floating on the top, and pour through a strainer to remove all bones.
While cool: let pot cool & then put in refrigerator overnight. Scrape solidified fat off of the top, and remove bones (gloves recommended during this process)
Drink daily as recommended
Super Charge Your Bone Broth!
Add Seaweeds:
We feel that a many of our patients facing infertility can improve ovarian reserve and improve sperm count by eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet. Please read Brianna Eardley-Pryor’s blog on this topic. One of our favorite ways to add deep mineral nutrition is to add seaweeds, such as kelp, or Kombu to the broth. It adds a deep flavor and is a natural source of iodine, which nourishes the thyroid.
Add Mushrooms:
All mushrooms, but especially shitake, maitake, and turkey tail contain immune boosting polysaccharides. Dried mushrooms add deep umami deliciousness.
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
Cara O. Frank, L.OM.
Bone Broth is having its moment. What used to be bouillon, stock, consommé and soup now has a new moniker: Bone Broth. In NYC, there’s even a bone broth shop!
There are numerous reasons to be enthusiastic about bone broth as a health building food. When bones are simmered for an extended period of time, the gelatin and collagen in the connective tissue breaks down and is infused into the broth. This creates a soothing, protein and mineral-rich medium that is not only delicious, but is also deeply healing and restorative to the body. Bone broths form a foundational pillar for many dietary protocols, such as the GAPS diet.
Chinese medicine uses several different gelatins as part of their materia medica; notably ass hide gelatin ē jiāo 阿胶, deer antler gelatin lù jiǎo jiāo 鹿角胶 and tortoise plastron gelatin guī bǎn jiāo 龟版胶. The first tonifies the blood, the second tonifies the yang and the last nourishes the yin, yet all of them overlap in their actions to a certain degree. The word jiāo translates as glue, or gelatin. We include them in formulas when patients need deeper “flesh and blood” tonification than plant materials can provide.
Bone broth builds the foundation for good health: In Chinese medicine, we are always treating the Yin and Yang and the Qi (energy) and Blood. Yin refers to a more cooling and moist energy. Yang is warmer and dryer. Yin is further subdivided into thin and thick yin. Water might nourish the thin yin fluids of the body, while bone broth, rich with gelatin, nourishes the thick yin or the deeper moisture of the body. This deep hydration can be visualized by remembering the old fashioned remedy of using gelatin to treat arthritis. Or the use of Synvisc injections for bone on bone joint degeneration.
Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means it’s a solid liquid. The liquid suspension nourishes the thick yin. Because it is so nourishing, we can also say that it nourishes our qi and because it is warming, it can also nourish the yang. Because many bones contain marrow, which becomes part of the broth, it also nourishes the blood. Therefore, bone broths can be thought of as a medicinal food. My teacher Huang Huang taught us that cooking a pig’s foot with dates, licorice and ginger was equivalent to using ē jiāo. Because these gelatins have a viscous nature, we use them when we need to add a rich, unctuous dimension to an herb formula. So, in relation to infertility, we might use these when there is a thin endometrium, or when there is recurrent miscarriage.
Making bone broth is easy, especially if you have a slow cooker:
Basic Bone Broth Recipe:
1.5-2 lb of Grass-fed Beef Bones, Organically Fed Pork Bones, or Organically Raised Pasture Raised Chicken Bones, or organically handled fish bones (make sure to include the fish head) Boutique butchers and farmers markets are great sources for these products.
A Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic, with the “Mother” material)
COLD Water to cover (warm water will make the broth cloudy)
Herbs (optional)
Veggie Scraps. Optional, but it really makes it taste better. Don’t use cruciferous vegetables. They don’t taste good.
Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns
If using beef or pork bones, consider roasting them on a sheet pan at 375 degrees until well browned. Drain the fat.
Place your bones in a slow-cooker, or large saucepan on the stove, and splash with vinegar. Add fresh herbs or vegetable scraps if you like, or a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, etc, to taste.
Fill pot with water.
If in crock-pot: set on “low” and let run for at 10-24 hours or run it for two 10 hour cycles
If on stovetop: simmer on low for 20-24 hours
Remove bones and fat in one of two ways:
While hot: Skim off fat and any material from the fat floating on the top, and pour through a strainer to remove all bones.
While cool: let pot cool & then put in refrigerator overnight. Scrape solidified fat off of the top, and remove bones (gloves recommended during this process)
Drink daily as recommended
Super Charge Your Bone Broth!
Add Seaweeds:
We feel that a many of our patients facing infertility can improve ovarian reserve and improve sperm count by eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet. Please read Brianna Eardley-Pryor’s blog on this topic. One of our favorite ways to add deep mineral nutrition is to add seaweeds, such as kelp, or Kombu to the broth. It adds a deep flavor and is a natural source of iodine, which nourishes the thyroid.
Add Mushrooms:
All mushrooms, but especially shitake, maitake, and turkey tail contain immune boosting polysaccharides. Dried mushrooms add deep umami deliciousness.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Value Of Taking A Break
Sometimes, a colleague says it better than I can. I am re-posting a lovely article by Heather McIver, of Stillpoint Acupuncture in Greensboro, NC.
The Value of Taking a Break…
More and more I see people who are overwhelmed, overworked, stressed out and exhausted. I know this feeling very well. In 2013, circumstances required me to work very, very hard. Even though these circumstances were temporary, and even though I was really having fun during the excitement of it all, by 2014 I was completely exhausted. The enthusiasm I carried for my work was gone. My curiosity was dulled. My thinking became unclear. That is when I knew I needed a break. Fortunately, I was in a position that allowed me to take six months off. During that time I slept (a lot!), read, meditated, played with my kids and studied. As a result, I came back to work invigorated and with a new sense of purpose. Because I had been able to take a step back, I now see things more clearly than before. I think more creatively, and work with more confidence.
Often, I see people in this same situation. Because our culture tends to view needing a break as weakness, they are looking for a treatment or a pill or a diet that will allow them to keep moving forward. It’s as if they are frantically trying to keep up with a speeding train, and there is no station in sight. Typically, these folks know exactly what they need. They might need some time away, help with a project, some quality time with a friend or a spouse–maybe even to find work more suited to their strengths and interests.
This is lesson number one: “You know what you need.”
If you stop long enough to look deeply, if you can cut through the social conditioning and work ethic and delve into your own mind-body wisdom, the solution is there.
Unfortunately, even once we recognize these solutions, we don’t often perceive them as available to us. I was in the same boat–since I was the only practitioner in one of my offices, I thought it would be impossible to take time off without closing that office completely. This thought–which I held to be ultimate truth–prevented me from looking for solutions. Then one day, it occurred to me that my health was at stake.
I remembered a story a friend had told me about the busiest period of her life. She had three young children, she worked as a nurse, she volunteered, she was busy all the time. She said, “I was just nonstop. Until one day I went nonstop through a stop sign and plowed into another car.” That accident landed her in the hospital for 5 months.
So as soon as I decided that time off wasn’t a choice, I opened my mind to possible solutions. I made a few phone calls, sent a few emails, and within 24 hrs had work coverage for the next 6 months.
Which leads me to lesson number two: taking a break makes you more productive.
One of the main excuses I hear from folks who are working too hard is “I just need to get through_____, and then I can slow down a little.” We know that the more likely scenario is that another more important or more compelling situation will present itself as soon as the current one is over. Or we know that even though we say we will take a break once this busy time is over, we probably won’t. And the myth is that if we stop to smell the roses, we will lose our momentum and therefore our productivity. This is simply untrue. I say, stop the train before the train stops you.
One of my teachers used to say, “Giving 100% is killing you.” Another famous acupuncturist who is known for getting pain relief immediately once needles are placed says, “when you get 80% improvement–STOP! Otherwise you’ll screw it all up.” His point is that after that 80% threshold, the amount of work we put in produces fewer and poorer quality results. Many productivity experts recommend working about 50 minutes of every hour, and then getting up to take a walk or otherwise get some distance from whatever you were working on. This applies to both mental and physical work. If you work at a computer, stop and walk around for a bit or maybe close your eyes and listen to music. If you are doing physical work, stop and rest or read some poetry. In other words, Let your brain re-fuel.
It is common practice in academia to take a sabbatical, and this concept is becoming more accepted across disciplines. Designer Stefan Sagmeister takes one year off every seven years in order to step back from his design work and reinvigorate his creativity. In his wonderful TED talk, he says something like “we in the West plan for about 40 years of work and 15 years of retirement, so I just decided to cut off 5 of those retirement years and intersperse them throughout my work years. This way the energy generated flows back into the business and to society at large. And at the same time, I have more fun.”
There was a great article in the Harvard Business Review back in 2007 which talked about increasing productivity, creativity and innovation by encouraging employees to take care of themselves. It’s called “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time.” The article talks about top-down workplace change, but also points out that “individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they are facing.” In other words, whether you are the CEO or the line worker, there will be small and large things you can do to take a break and restore your energy.
For inspiration, look to nature. Waves surge and then withdraw. Storms rage and then the sun shines. Birds work hard to climb away from earth, and then glide on the wind. Bees have an incredible and difficult work schedule, but then spend the winter huddling together inside, resting and staying warm. Plants create beautiful flowers and berries and leaves at an incredible pace, but during winter they rest deeply. These are natural cycles of productivity and recuperation. When we ignore these cycles, not only does our health and vitality suffer–but our WORK and CREATIVITY suffer.
“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”
Lao Tzu
Don’t exhaust your caterpillar before the butterfly has a chance to emerge! Listen to the signals indicating a break is needed:
becoming more easily distracted
tasks take longer to do than they used to
things that used to be fun aren’t anymore
feeling fatigued
re-reading the same sentence
becoming easily irritable
feeling something is missing in life
feeling overwhelmed
losing interest in things
reaching for the coffee or energy drinks as a way to “get through”
increased alcohol consumption
memory problems
In order to begin to recover your energy, you could make drastic moves like quitting your job, but that may just add more stress in the long run. So you could start by trying out small changes. The possibilities are endless, and here are just a few suggestions:
Hourly (pick one or two)
Set a timer for 50 min and spend the last 10 min of every hour taking a walk or even a nap.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.
Go outside. It’s amazing how this can change your perspective.
Chat with a friend or coworker and not about work.
Write down the one most important thing to accomplish in the next hour.
Read poetry.
Listen to music.
Stand up and stretch.
Read an inspirational quote.
Admire a piece of art.
Stare into space or out the window.
Doodle
Daily (do as many as you can)
Spend a little time writing / meditating / or staring into space
Exercise a little — enough to feel your heart pumping, but not so much that it’s like a second job.
Eat meals without working at the same time.
Answer emails only twice a day.
Notice your propensity to complain about things and begin to change that. Complain only to people who have the power to change things or to people who can truly help you see a way to change things.
Turn your phone off for at least one hour, or while you are working on a task that requires focus.
Do your best to sleep well.
Be diligent about negative self-talk. Change the story.
Weekly
Plan at least some time reserved for “whatever the heck I feel like doing.” Put in on your calendar. Make it mandatory.
Spend time outdoors.
Do something silly–dance in your pajamas.
Do something that makes you feel connected to God, the universe, the world around you.
Be completely present with your kids or a good friend.
Yearly
Plan at least one vacation…even if you just plan to stay at home but not work. If you can, plan some time off every quarter. Even if each break is shorter, they may prove more rejuvenating, and you’ll have more to look forward to.
Spend a week tracking how you spend your time. How does this reflect what is important to you?
Spend some time in self-examination. Take the strength-finders test or some other personality test. Quit trying to fix your perceived flaws and instead develop your innate talents.
Spend a week or even a day “disconnected.” What is it like to not have your thoughts interrupted six times an hour?
Better yet, turn off the power in your house for a day. Live by sunlight and candle-light. Enjoy the silence.
Go for a hike, go camping, go sailing or fishing.
Sleep for a whole day.
Go on a retreat — this could be a formal structured retreat or just some time away by yourself.
Review your accomplishments. For one moment, forget all that there is left to do. Forget all that didn’t go the way you had planned. Forget the failures. Make a list of everything you accomplished from work projects completed to an exercise program in place to overcoming some negative behavior or thought pattern. Then just be with the success of that.
Take a scenic train ride…just for fun. Make sure it’s a leisurely one!
–Heather McIver, L.Ac.
The Value of Taking a Break…
More and more I see people who are overwhelmed, overworked, stressed out and exhausted. I know this feeling very well. In 2013, circumstances required me to work very, very hard. Even though these circumstances were temporary, and even though I was really having fun during the excitement of it all, by 2014 I was completely exhausted. The enthusiasm I carried for my work was gone. My curiosity was dulled. My thinking became unclear. That is when I knew I needed a break. Fortunately, I was in a position that allowed me to take six months off. During that time I slept (a lot!), read, meditated, played with my kids and studied. As a result, I came back to work invigorated and with a new sense of purpose. Because I had been able to take a step back, I now see things more clearly than before. I think more creatively, and work with more confidence.
Often, I see people in this same situation. Because our culture tends to view needing a break as weakness, they are looking for a treatment or a pill or a diet that will allow them to keep moving forward. It’s as if they are frantically trying to keep up with a speeding train, and there is no station in sight. Typically, these folks know exactly what they need. They might need some time away, help with a project, some quality time with a friend or a spouse–maybe even to find work more suited to their strengths and interests.
This is lesson number one: “You know what you need.”
If you stop long enough to look deeply, if you can cut through the social conditioning and work ethic and delve into your own mind-body wisdom, the solution is there.
Unfortunately, even once we recognize these solutions, we don’t often perceive them as available to us. I was in the same boat–since I was the only practitioner in one of my offices, I thought it would be impossible to take time off without closing that office completely. This thought–which I held to be ultimate truth–prevented me from looking for solutions. Then one day, it occurred to me that my health was at stake.
I remembered a story a friend had told me about the busiest period of her life. She had three young children, she worked as a nurse, she volunteered, she was busy all the time. She said, “I was just nonstop. Until one day I went nonstop through a stop sign and plowed into another car.” That accident landed her in the hospital for 5 months.
So as soon as I decided that time off wasn’t a choice, I opened my mind to possible solutions. I made a few phone calls, sent a few emails, and within 24 hrs had work coverage for the next 6 months.
Which leads me to lesson number two: taking a break makes you more productive.
One of the main excuses I hear from folks who are working too hard is “I just need to get through_____, and then I can slow down a little.” We know that the more likely scenario is that another more important or more compelling situation will present itself as soon as the current one is over. Or we know that even though we say we will take a break once this busy time is over, we probably won’t. And the myth is that if we stop to smell the roses, we will lose our momentum and therefore our productivity. This is simply untrue. I say, stop the train before the train stops you.
One of my teachers used to say, “Giving 100% is killing you.” Another famous acupuncturist who is known for getting pain relief immediately once needles are placed says, “when you get 80% improvement–STOP! Otherwise you’ll screw it all up.” His point is that after that 80% threshold, the amount of work we put in produces fewer and poorer quality results. Many productivity experts recommend working about 50 minutes of every hour, and then getting up to take a walk or otherwise get some distance from whatever you were working on. This applies to both mental and physical work. If you work at a computer, stop and walk around for a bit or maybe close your eyes and listen to music. If you are doing physical work, stop and rest or read some poetry. In other words, Let your brain re-fuel.
It is common practice in academia to take a sabbatical, and this concept is becoming more accepted across disciplines. Designer Stefan Sagmeister takes one year off every seven years in order to step back from his design work and reinvigorate his creativity. In his wonderful TED talk, he says something like “we in the West plan for about 40 years of work and 15 years of retirement, so I just decided to cut off 5 of those retirement years and intersperse them throughout my work years. This way the energy generated flows back into the business and to society at large. And at the same time, I have more fun.”
There was a great article in the Harvard Business Review back in 2007 which talked about increasing productivity, creativity and innovation by encouraging employees to take care of themselves. It’s called “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time.” The article talks about top-down workplace change, but also points out that “individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they are facing.” In other words, whether you are the CEO or the line worker, there will be small and large things you can do to take a break and restore your energy.
For inspiration, look to nature. Waves surge and then withdraw. Storms rage and then the sun shines. Birds work hard to climb away from earth, and then glide on the wind. Bees have an incredible and difficult work schedule, but then spend the winter huddling together inside, resting and staying warm. Plants create beautiful flowers and berries and leaves at an incredible pace, but during winter they rest deeply. These are natural cycles of productivity and recuperation. When we ignore these cycles, not only does our health and vitality suffer–but our WORK and CREATIVITY suffer.
“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”
Lao Tzu
Don’t exhaust your caterpillar before the butterfly has a chance to emerge! Listen to the signals indicating a break is needed:
becoming more easily distracted
tasks take longer to do than they used to
things that used to be fun aren’t anymore
feeling fatigued
re-reading the same sentence
becoming easily irritable
feeling something is missing in life
feeling overwhelmed
losing interest in things
reaching for the coffee or energy drinks as a way to “get through”
increased alcohol consumption
memory problems
In order to begin to recover your energy, you could make drastic moves like quitting your job, but that may just add more stress in the long run. So you could start by trying out small changes. The possibilities are endless, and here are just a few suggestions:
Hourly (pick one or two)
Set a timer for 50 min and spend the last 10 min of every hour taking a walk or even a nap.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.
Go outside. It’s amazing how this can change your perspective.
Chat with a friend or coworker and not about work.
Write down the one most important thing to accomplish in the next hour.
Read poetry.
Listen to music.
Stand up and stretch.
Read an inspirational quote.
Admire a piece of art.
Stare into space or out the window.
Doodle
Daily (do as many as you can)
Spend a little time writing / meditating / or staring into space
Exercise a little — enough to feel your heart pumping, but not so much that it’s like a second job.
Eat meals without working at the same time.
Answer emails only twice a day.
Notice your propensity to complain about things and begin to change that. Complain only to people who have the power to change things or to people who can truly help you see a way to change things.
Turn your phone off for at least one hour, or while you are working on a task that requires focus.
Do your best to sleep well.
Be diligent about negative self-talk. Change the story.
Weekly
Plan at least some time reserved for “whatever the heck I feel like doing.” Put in on your calendar. Make it mandatory.
Spend time outdoors.
Do something silly–dance in your pajamas.
Do something that makes you feel connected to God, the universe, the world around you.
Be completely present with your kids or a good friend.
Yearly
Plan at least one vacation…even if you just plan to stay at home but not work. If you can, plan some time off every quarter. Even if each break is shorter, they may prove more rejuvenating, and you’ll have more to look forward to.
Spend a week tracking how you spend your time. How does this reflect what is important to you?
Spend some time in self-examination. Take the strength-finders test or some other personality test. Quit trying to fix your perceived flaws and instead develop your innate talents.
Spend a week or even a day “disconnected.” What is it like to not have your thoughts interrupted six times an hour?
Better yet, turn off the power in your house for a day. Live by sunlight and candle-light. Enjoy the silence.
Go for a hike, go camping, go sailing or fishing.
Sleep for a whole day.
Go on a retreat — this could be a formal structured retreat or just some time away by yourself.
Review your accomplishments. For one moment, forget all that there is left to do. Forget all that didn’t go the way you had planned. Forget the failures. Make a list of everything you accomplished from work projects completed to an exercise program in place to overcoming some negative behavior or thought pattern. Then just be with the success of that.
Take a scenic train ride…just for fun. Make sure it’s a leisurely one!
–Heather McIver, L.Ac.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
For The New Year, Do Something Better Than a Resolution
Reprinted from an article by Dr. Deepak Chopra, on Chopra Centered Lifestyle.
The custom of starting the New Year with a resolution has good intentions behind it. With a little self-reflection, we all see areas of our life we’d like to improve and bad habits we’d like to break. But for most people, perhaps as many as 90 percent, good intentions don’t get very far. They forget their New Year’s resolution as the force of habit and conditioning take hold again.
There is a better way, and it’s based on a simple yet powerful kind of reinforcement. By offering the universe an intention and repeating it every day, you can accomplish two things. First, you will train your brain to adapt to a new way of thinking. Second, you will begin to identify with a higher vision of your life. A spiritual life should contain skills that lead to practical changes, and using the power of intention is one of the most valuable skills you can master.
There are countless things a person can want, but being consistent for a whole year with four basic intentions gives you a greater chance for success, because these intentions don’t run into inner obstacles—they fit every lifestyle, belief system, personality, and individual situation.
The Four Intentions
I want a joyful, energetic body.
I want a loving, compassionate heart.
I want a restful, alert mind.
I want lightness of being.
As you can see, these intentions move from body, emotions, and mind to spirit. These are the domains of consciousness where pure awareness takes form as sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. There is a flow that is natural to everyone’s life, and what you are intending here is to replace resistance, disorder, effort, and struggle with an easier way of living.
To use the power of intention requires a new way of approaching body, emotions, mind, and spirit as a single stream of being. This is easily accomplished by a small shift in your daily routine.
Step 1: Take a few moments in the morning to sit quietly before moving into the day’s activity. This is your time for setting the inner agenda for the day, in a state of quiet attention. If you already meditate or pursue your own inner practice, you can add the four intentions at the end of your session.
Step 2: When your mind is settled, follow your breath, easily and effortlessly, for five minutes. At the end of the time (or at the end of your regular meditation), place your attention on your heart.
Step 3: Repeat the four intentions, taking a pause between each one to let the intention find its place inside you. The mind-body connection is fluid, so intentions go to different places every day, giving rise to a new response. Be easy with any response that comes, and return your attention to your heart before saying the next intention.
For example, silently say the first intention: I want a joyful, energetic body. Wait a moment to let your attention go to any sensation, image, feeling, or thought that arises. Notice the response, then put your attention back on your heart and silently say the second intention: I want a loving, compassionate heart.
Don’t judge your response or try to change it. It’s fine to have any response, even if you might label it negative. The purpose here is to get your attention to loosen up and go where the mind naturally wants to go. If you find that any response feels too strong or causes distress, open your eyes, take a few deep breaths until you feel centered again, then go back to the next intention. Don’t force anything.
Step 4: When you have finished the four intentions, sit quietly in a settled state for a few minutes. Then get up and go about your day.
Following Up on the 4 Intentions
Simply by stating your intentions and allowing them to enter the inner domain, you are affecting more change than you could through a resolution that you try to enforce with willpower. The first step is always the most important. There is also a follow-up program that will greatly enhance your intentions. Feel free to adapt any or all of the following practices:
1. Reminders: If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do or how to feel, take a moment and remind yourself of the intention that is most appropriate. For example, if you are tempted by a rich dessert even though you are already feeling full at lunch, repeat to yourself, “I want a joyful, energetic body.” That’s all. Go ahead and make any choice you want, whether to order dessert or not, without judgment. Reminding yourself of your intention is a value-neutral step that over time aligns you with your highest intention without stress or strain.
2. Stress: The opposite of flow is stress. If you find yourself being stressed, the first thing to do is to get out of the stressful situation as quickly as you reasonably can. Find a quiet place, center yourself, and repeat your intentions, especially “I want lightness of being.” You are telling your higher self that you don’t want to align yourself with stress but with peace and calm.
3. Reinforcement: The best reinforcement is being aware of your path, day by day. In the late afternoon or evening, when you have a quiet moment, write down the positive things that happened during the day in regards to any intention that is starting to come true. It can be something as simple as enjoying a walk, appreciating natural beauty, feeling grateful for your children, or being inspired by a poem or scriptural passage. These are moments where flow replaced struggle. Acknowledge them and they will increase.
4. Regrouping: You do many things during a single day, and your attention has many demands placed upon it. Once you have expended your energy for the day, going to sleep allows your brain to reset for the coming day. As you lie in bed, in those moments before sleep comes, be aware of the four intentions. Review body, emotions, mind, and spirit. You can repeat the intentions or simply let your attention go to these four areas in a positive, optimistic mood.
What I’ve outlined is a simple, practical program that will serve you much better than making a resolution. Aligning yourself with the flow of life is a supreme goal, because it unites body, mind, and spirit seamlessly. This state of unity is what every aspect of the self deeply desires.
- This is an article written by Deepak Chopra. Thanks to Dr. Chopra for his mindful reminders and willingness to share. See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/for-the-new-year-do-something-better-than-a-resolution#sthash.bR3YkDNm.qEqE0aME.dpuf
The custom of starting the New Year with a resolution has good intentions behind it. With a little self-reflection, we all see areas of our life we’d like to improve and bad habits we’d like to break. But for most people, perhaps as many as 90 percent, good intentions don’t get very far. They forget their New Year’s resolution as the force of habit and conditioning take hold again.
There is a better way, and it’s based on a simple yet powerful kind of reinforcement. By offering the universe an intention and repeating it every day, you can accomplish two things. First, you will train your brain to adapt to a new way of thinking. Second, you will begin to identify with a higher vision of your life. A spiritual life should contain skills that lead to practical changes, and using the power of intention is one of the most valuable skills you can master.
There are countless things a person can want, but being consistent for a whole year with four basic intentions gives you a greater chance for success, because these intentions don’t run into inner obstacles—they fit every lifestyle, belief system, personality, and individual situation.
The Four Intentions
I want a joyful, energetic body.
I want a loving, compassionate heart.
I want a restful, alert mind.
I want lightness of being.
As you can see, these intentions move from body, emotions, and mind to spirit. These are the domains of consciousness where pure awareness takes form as sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. There is a flow that is natural to everyone’s life, and what you are intending here is to replace resistance, disorder, effort, and struggle with an easier way of living.
To use the power of intention requires a new way of approaching body, emotions, mind, and spirit as a single stream of being. This is easily accomplished by a small shift in your daily routine.
Step 1: Take a few moments in the morning to sit quietly before moving into the day’s activity. This is your time for setting the inner agenda for the day, in a state of quiet attention. If you already meditate or pursue your own inner practice, you can add the four intentions at the end of your session.
Step 2: When your mind is settled, follow your breath, easily and effortlessly, for five minutes. At the end of the time (or at the end of your regular meditation), place your attention on your heart.
Step 3: Repeat the four intentions, taking a pause between each one to let the intention find its place inside you. The mind-body connection is fluid, so intentions go to different places every day, giving rise to a new response. Be easy with any response that comes, and return your attention to your heart before saying the next intention.
For example, silently say the first intention: I want a joyful, energetic body. Wait a moment to let your attention go to any sensation, image, feeling, or thought that arises. Notice the response, then put your attention back on your heart and silently say the second intention: I want a loving, compassionate heart.
Don’t judge your response or try to change it. It’s fine to have any response, even if you might label it negative. The purpose here is to get your attention to loosen up and go where the mind naturally wants to go. If you find that any response feels too strong or causes distress, open your eyes, take a few deep breaths until you feel centered again, then go back to the next intention. Don’t force anything.
Step 4: When you have finished the four intentions, sit quietly in a settled state for a few minutes. Then get up and go about your day.
Following Up on the 4 Intentions
Simply by stating your intentions and allowing them to enter the inner domain, you are affecting more change than you could through a resolution that you try to enforce with willpower. The first step is always the most important. There is also a follow-up program that will greatly enhance your intentions. Feel free to adapt any or all of the following practices:
1. Reminders: If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do or how to feel, take a moment and remind yourself of the intention that is most appropriate. For example, if you are tempted by a rich dessert even though you are already feeling full at lunch, repeat to yourself, “I want a joyful, energetic body.” That’s all. Go ahead and make any choice you want, whether to order dessert or not, without judgment. Reminding yourself of your intention is a value-neutral step that over time aligns you with your highest intention without stress or strain.
2. Stress: The opposite of flow is stress. If you find yourself being stressed, the first thing to do is to get out of the stressful situation as quickly as you reasonably can. Find a quiet place, center yourself, and repeat your intentions, especially “I want lightness of being.” You are telling your higher self that you don’t want to align yourself with stress but with peace and calm.
3. Reinforcement: The best reinforcement is being aware of your path, day by day. In the late afternoon or evening, when you have a quiet moment, write down the positive things that happened during the day in regards to any intention that is starting to come true. It can be something as simple as enjoying a walk, appreciating natural beauty, feeling grateful for your children, or being inspired by a poem or scriptural passage. These are moments where flow replaced struggle. Acknowledge them and they will increase.
4. Regrouping: You do many things during a single day, and your attention has many demands placed upon it. Once you have expended your energy for the day, going to sleep allows your brain to reset for the coming day. As you lie in bed, in those moments before sleep comes, be aware of the four intentions. Review body, emotions, mind, and spirit. You can repeat the intentions or simply let your attention go to these four areas in a positive, optimistic mood.
What I’ve outlined is a simple, practical program that will serve you much better than making a resolution. Aligning yourself with the flow of life is a supreme goal, because it unites body, mind, and spirit seamlessly. This state of unity is what every aspect of the self deeply desires.
- This is an article written by Deepak Chopra. Thanks to Dr. Chopra for his mindful reminders and willingness to share. See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/for-the-new-year-do-something-better-than-a-resolution#sthash.bR3YkDNm.qEqE0aME.dpuf
Kitchen Wisdom for Cold and Flu Season
Chinese medicine doesn’t make a big difference between a cold and the flu, and they are treated much the same. The robust person reacts to the invasion of a respiratory pathogen by getting "wind-heat" and a weaker person reacted to the invasion by getting "wind-cold." (A person who can mount a wind-heat response to an invasion is not generally depleted.) In ancient times (2500 years ago) there was a simple remedy that was used to address the first signs of cold and flu for someone who developed "wind-cold." It was called Green onion and Ginger Decoction. The contents are still available today at your local grocery store:
For Wind-Cold: (symptoms of clear drippy mucous, very slight fever if any, fatigue, achy joints)
Take 2-3 slices of fresh ginger and 2-3 scallions (green onions) and put them in 1 gallon of water that you have brought to a boil on the stove. Reduce the “soup” heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. Then dispense with the “solids” in the soup, and put the liquid into a thermos to keep it hot. Sip on the hot ginger and scallion soup over about 3 hours.
After doing this you may start to sweat. Make sure you climb into bed, keeping warm, don’t sit in a draft, and make sure that you keep yourself in dry clothing. This will do what your grandmother called “sweating the devil out of you.” The worst of the cold/flu should be gone within 24 hours.
If you would like to address the chills, you can cut a few more slices of ginger and boil them up, throwing the boiled water into a hot bath, where you will sit and soak in the ginger bath until the water starts to cool. Make sure you dress warmly when you get out, and get into bed and pile on the blankets. Remember you want to sweat it out. Do not uncover yourself if you start to feel hot. The point is to….did you miss it?...sweat!
In addition to these strategies for wind-cold, consider some dietary advice: eat warming foods such as soups, and spicy foods that will help open your nasal passages. Eating dairy will create more phlegm and will increase respiratory congestion, so don't do it.
For Wind-Heat: (symptoms include higher fever, mucous that is thicker, technicolor, achy joints, bigger chills)
The strategy here is to cool yourself off a little, but not to expose yourself to wind in the form of drafts (like open windows) or vented air. Cooling should take place internally with things like (hot) peppermint tea or chrysanthemum tea. Also, it is important to refrain from eating foods that will make you "hotter" such as sugar, very spicy food, caffeine or alcohol; all these will make you feel worse. Eating dairy will make the phlegm you are experiencing thicker, greener, and more difficult to get out.
There are also Chinese herbal products that help with both wind-heat and wind-cold, so ask your friendly neighborhood acupuncturist to help you select the right product for an immune enhancing strategy that prevents the invasion of pathogens, as well as the products that can help once symptoms begin.
Whether you are experiencing wind-cold or wind-heat, please do yourself and everyone else around you a favor: stay home and don't spread your illness to friends and colleagues. So stay home and take the time to rest and get well before heading out to infect the rest of us.
For Wind-Cold: (symptoms of clear drippy mucous, very slight fever if any, fatigue, achy joints)
Take 2-3 slices of fresh ginger and 2-3 scallions (green onions) and put them in 1 gallon of water that you have brought to a boil on the stove. Reduce the “soup” heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. Then dispense with the “solids” in the soup, and put the liquid into a thermos to keep it hot. Sip on the hot ginger and scallion soup over about 3 hours.
After doing this you may start to sweat. Make sure you climb into bed, keeping warm, don’t sit in a draft, and make sure that you keep yourself in dry clothing. This will do what your grandmother called “sweating the devil out of you.” The worst of the cold/flu should be gone within 24 hours.
If you would like to address the chills, you can cut a few more slices of ginger and boil them up, throwing the boiled water into a hot bath, where you will sit and soak in the ginger bath until the water starts to cool. Make sure you dress warmly when you get out, and get into bed and pile on the blankets. Remember you want to sweat it out. Do not uncover yourself if you start to feel hot. The point is to….did you miss it?...sweat!
In addition to these strategies for wind-cold, consider some dietary advice: eat warming foods such as soups, and spicy foods that will help open your nasal passages. Eating dairy will create more phlegm and will increase respiratory congestion, so don't do it.
For Wind-Heat: (symptoms include higher fever, mucous that is thicker, technicolor, achy joints, bigger chills)
The strategy here is to cool yourself off a little, but not to expose yourself to wind in the form of drafts (like open windows) or vented air. Cooling should take place internally with things like (hot) peppermint tea or chrysanthemum tea. Also, it is important to refrain from eating foods that will make you "hotter" such as sugar, very spicy food, caffeine or alcohol; all these will make you feel worse. Eating dairy will make the phlegm you are experiencing thicker, greener, and more difficult to get out.
There are also Chinese herbal products that help with both wind-heat and wind-cold, so ask your friendly neighborhood acupuncturist to help you select the right product for an immune enhancing strategy that prevents the invasion of pathogens, as well as the products that can help once symptoms begin.
Whether you are experiencing wind-cold or wind-heat, please do yourself and everyone else around you a favor: stay home and don't spread your illness to friends and colleagues. So stay home and take the time to rest and get well before heading out to infect the rest of us.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Who Can Catch the Bubble?
We are well into SUMMER, and we should be pulling out the stops!!! Summer is a time of joyousness, expansion, passion, and mirth. Go to bed late and get up early (the longest of days!!) Those longer days are not for the purpose of simply packing in more work, but for taking a big chunk of your day to PLAY. The time spend outdoors—sweating, being active, getting sun—will serve you well in the winter. So cut loose and go for it. June 21 is the Solstice, so these next couple of weeks are nature’s way of putting us in great expansion. After that, the summer contracts (it will be half over!). Don’t lose time. Enjoy yourself.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Living Wisely In Summer Bodes Well for Fall
“In the old days the sages treated disease by preventing illness before it began, just as a good government or emperor was able to take the necessary steps to avert war. Treating an illness after it has begun is like suppressing revolt after it has broken out. If someone digs a well only when thirsty, or forges weapons only after becoming engaged in battle, one cannot help but ask: Aren’t these actions too late?” (The Nei Jing Su Wen -The Chinese Classic of Internal Medicine)
Behaving with seasonal correctness was addressed in the Nei Jing. The advice for Summer went like this:
“In the months of Summer there is an abundance of sunshine and rain. The Heavenly energy
descends, (eg: warmth and light descend from above) and the Earthly energy rises (eg: things grow). When these energies merge there is an intimate connection between Heaven and Earth. As a result, plants mature and animals, flowers and fruit appear abundantly…. One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active to keep the skin breathing and to prevent the qi (energy) from stagnating. One can indulge a bit more than in other seasons, but should not overindulge. Emotionally, it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold grudges, so that the energy can flow freely and communicate between the external (the environment and other people) and internal (you). In this way, illness may be averted in the Fall. Problems in the Summer will cause injury to the Heart and will manifest in the Fall.
What does this mean for US? Get up early, stay up late, party and socialize, don't get into interpersonal drama, get tipsy on occasion (if you wish), but don't overdo. Soak up some sun, play games, sweat, and don't take life ultra-seriously. Summer is the time of "fling." Enjoy it. Getting all that "internal and external warmth" will last well into the fall and winter.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Even the Sun Stands Still
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
I got a late start leaving a meeting last week and wound up cycling home in the dark at 4 p.m. I’d have to say that the short winter days are one of the most challenging aspects of life in the northern tier, but things are turning around. Today the Winter Solstice will take place in Seattle at 9:30 p.m. (5:30, tomorrow, Coordinated Universal Time), marking the end of our ever-longer nights and the return of light.
Not to lessen the significance of Christmas, Hanukkah or any of the other festivals of lights, but this astrological event is the original reason for the season. The Earth is tilted on its axis at, on average, a 23.5-degree angle and today is when the North Pole is farthest from the sun, causing it to appear to rise and set in the same place. We call it the first day of winter, and while the days will now grow longer by increments until the Summer Solstice in June, the average temperature of the “top” part of the globe will continue to drop as the oceans slowly lose the heat they still store from the warm summer months.
Humans can hardly think without resorting to metaphor and there is none more profound than this. It’s not an accident that this is a time for reflection as well as celebrating new beginnings. It’s not an accident that we seek out the people who mean the most to us, family and friends, those we love and without whom we live in perpetual winter. It’s not an accident that Christians retell the story of the birth of a child, the son of God, the light of hope in a darkened world. It’s not an accident that we give one another gifts and wish each other merriness, happiness and cheer – the darkness is passing, buck up, light is returning, have hope.
Winter is often used as a metaphor for death, but the comparison is superficial. The trees may not have leaves, the forests may have been temporarily emptied by hibernation and migration, there may be fewer children on the play grounds and at the beaches, and it may stay that way for some months to come, but we shouldn't mistake stillness for death.
The word “Solstice” comes from the Latin phrase for “sun stands still.” We spend the rest of the year in motion, moving forward, making progress. But if we can hold still long enough to listen, we hear winter whispering to slow down, take stock, cut back, rest, tend to the core of what makes life worthy of its name. All is calm. All is bright.
Even the sun stands still today.
This post was created by "Teacher Tom" in his blogpost, "Even the Sun Stands Still": (http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/even-sun-stands-still.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TeacherTom+%28Teacher+Tom%29)
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Living Well and Fully in the Autumn
The following article, "Suggestions for living well and fully in the Fall" was written by my colleague, Barbara Catlin, L.Ac. She is teaching a workshop on Oct. 8, 2011, called Conscious Living and Conscious Dying, in Columbia, MD. See the end of the article for the link to her workshop.
by Barbara Tansill Catlin
The energy of Fall supports us in letting go, in allowing life to be exactly as it is, in giving acknowledgment and respect. Here are ways to make the most of your autumn season:
1. Assess personal values.
What do I value? Am I living in accordance with these values? If not, what needs to go? What needs to come in?
* Let go of detrimental relationships.
* Loosen your grip on ideas and habits that no longer serve.
* Recycle or throw away things that are no longer useful.
2. Acknowledge those who are important.
Who is precious to me? Have I let them know?
* Send a letter of gratitude or flowers of celebration to those who have helped you, those who inspire you, those you love.
* Is there anyone I have left out of my daily life because of anger or fear?
* If forgiveness is necessary, is it time to ask for it? Time to extend it?
* Am I able to make the phone call, write the letter, show up for a visit? If not, what else might be done to clear the way for healing?
3. Notice the daily rhythm of your life from sun-up to sundown.
Do I feel ease as I move through the tasks of my day? Do I feel hurried and overwhelmed? Does the rhythm of my day promote order and peace?
* Create a structure/schedule that serves your natural rhythm. Notice how you feel differently at the beginning and end of each day.
4. Accept life just as it is.
Do I resist part of my life? What parts? What person, place, thing, or idea needs to be incorporated? Transformed? Let go?
* Resolve to either make the change or let it go.
Barbara Tansill Catlin practices acupuncture in Columbia, MD. Learn more about her work at www.biggerconversations.org including "Conscious Living & Conscious Dying", an event for both professionals and the general public on October 8, 2011.
by Barbara Tansill Catlin
The energy of Fall supports us in letting go, in allowing life to be exactly as it is, in giving acknowledgment and respect. Here are ways to make the most of your autumn season:
1. Assess personal values.
What do I value? Am I living in accordance with these values? If not, what needs to go? What needs to come in?
* Let go of detrimental relationships.
* Loosen your grip on ideas and habits that no longer serve.
* Recycle or throw away things that are no longer useful.
2. Acknowledge those who are important.
Who is precious to me? Have I let them know?
* Send a letter of gratitude or flowers of celebration to those who have helped you, those who inspire you, those you love.
* Is there anyone I have left out of my daily life because of anger or fear?
* If forgiveness is necessary, is it time to ask for it? Time to extend it?
* Am I able to make the phone call, write the letter, show up for a visit? If not, what else might be done to clear the way for healing?
3. Notice the daily rhythm of your life from sun-up to sundown.
Do I feel ease as I move through the tasks of my day? Do I feel hurried and overwhelmed? Does the rhythm of my day promote order and peace?
* Create a structure/schedule that serves your natural rhythm. Notice how you feel differently at the beginning and end of each day.
4. Accept life just as it is.
Do I resist part of my life? What parts? What person, place, thing, or idea needs to be incorporated? Transformed? Let go?
* Resolve to either make the change or let it go.
Barbara Tansill Catlin practices acupuncture in Columbia, MD. Learn more about her work at www.biggerconversations.org including "Conscious Living & Conscious Dying", an event for both professionals and the general public on October 8, 2011.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sleep: Recharging Your Power
In winter, nature sleeps. If you are having trouble sleeping, (in winter or anytime of the year) you aren't re-charging your batteries like you should, and you might be feeling tired, fuzzy-headed or even sick during the day. Studies have shown that you are more susceptible to chronic health problems (cardio-vascular illness, diabetes, immune problems, for example) if you are not getting your 8 hours of sleep. Here are 33 suggestions for you to consider as you plan how to remedy your re-charging problem.
Optimizing Your Sleep Sanctuary
1. Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your body's production of hormones. Light signals your brain that it’s time to wake up and starts preparing your body for ACTION.
2. Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool. Studies show that the optimal room temperature is between 60 to 68 degrees. Keeping your room cooler or hotter can lead to restless sleep.
3. Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your bed. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet, and especially away from your head. Electrical fields in the bedroom will keep you awake.
4. Remove your clock from view. It will only add to your worry when you stare at it all night.
5. Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on your body to be suddenly jolted awake. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, an alarm may even be unnecessary.
6. Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. No watching TV or doing work in bed.
7. Consider separate bedrooms. Recent studies suggest, for many people, sharing a bed with a partner (or pets) can significantly impair sleep.
Preparing for Bed
8. Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
9. Don't change your bedtime. You should go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to establish a sleep rhythm.
10. Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, or reading. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night.
11. Don't drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom.
12. Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that you'll wake up to go in the middle of the night.
13. Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production.
14. Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross your blood-brain barrier.
15. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. These will raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and be unable to fall back asleep.
16. Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When your body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating slumber. The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your body it’s time for bed.
17. Wear socks to bed. Feet often feel cold before the rest of the body because they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that wearing socks reduces night waking. As an alternative, you could place a hot water bottle near your feet at night.
18. Wear an eye mask to block out light. It is very important to sleep in complete darkness. But it's not always easy to block out every stream of light using curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area (or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). Wearing an eye mask will help.
19. Put your work away at least one hour before bed (preferably two hours or more). This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm.
20. No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom. It’s too stimulating to the brain, preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV disrupts your pineal gland function.
21. Listen to relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds to be soothing for sleep.
22. Read something spiritual or uplifting. This may help you relax. Don't read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, which has the opposite effect.
23. Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful to keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.
Lifestyle Suggestions That Enhance Sleep
24. Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many drugs, either prescription or over the counter may adversely affect sleep. Look up the side effects of the drugs you are taking and see if your meds are the culprit.
25. Avoid caffeine. At least one study has shown that, in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently, leaving you feeling its effects long after consumption. Be aware that some medications or supplements contain caffeine.
26. Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make you drowsy at first, the effect is short lived and you will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from entering the deeper stages of sleep, where your body does most of its healing.
27. Make certain you get regular exercise. Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day can improve your sleep. However, don't exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake.
28. Lose excess weight. Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep.
29. Avoid foods you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for sugar, grains, and pasteurized dairy. Sensitivity reactions can cause excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, bloating and gas, or other problems.
30. If you are menopausal or peri-menopausal, get checked out by a physician. The hormonal changes at this time may cause sleep problems if not properly addressed.
31. Tell your acupuncturist if you are having sleep problems. Regular treatment with acupuncture or herbs may help you establish the correct body rhythms.
If All Else Fails
32. Increase your melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. If that isn’t possible, you may want to consider a melatonin supplement. In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to increase sleepiness, help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep, decrease restlessness, and reverse daytime fatigue.
(These suggestions have been derived and edited from Mercola.com)
Optimizing Your Sleep Sanctuary
1. Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your body's production of hormones. Light signals your brain that it’s time to wake up and starts preparing your body for ACTION.
2. Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool. Studies show that the optimal room temperature is between 60 to 68 degrees. Keeping your room cooler or hotter can lead to restless sleep.
3. Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your bed. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet, and especially away from your head. Electrical fields in the bedroom will keep you awake.
4. Remove your clock from view. It will only add to your worry when you stare at it all night.
5. Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on your body to be suddenly jolted awake. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, an alarm may even be unnecessary.
6. Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. No watching TV or doing work in bed.
7. Consider separate bedrooms. Recent studies suggest, for many people, sharing a bed with a partner (or pets) can significantly impair sleep.
Preparing for Bed
8. Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
9. Don't change your bedtime. You should go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to establish a sleep rhythm.
10. Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, or reading. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night.
11. Don't drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom.
12. Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that you'll wake up to go in the middle of the night.
13. Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production.
14. Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross your blood-brain barrier.
15. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. These will raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and be unable to fall back asleep.
16. Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When your body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating slumber. The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your body it’s time for bed.
17. Wear socks to bed. Feet often feel cold before the rest of the body because they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that wearing socks reduces night waking. As an alternative, you could place a hot water bottle near your feet at night.
18. Wear an eye mask to block out light. It is very important to sleep in complete darkness. But it's not always easy to block out every stream of light using curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area (or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). Wearing an eye mask will help.
19. Put your work away at least one hour before bed (preferably two hours or more). This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm.
20. No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom. It’s too stimulating to the brain, preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV disrupts your pineal gland function.
21. Listen to relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds to be soothing for sleep.
22. Read something spiritual or uplifting. This may help you relax. Don't read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, which has the opposite effect.
23. Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful to keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.
Lifestyle Suggestions That Enhance Sleep
24. Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many drugs, either prescription or over the counter may adversely affect sleep. Look up the side effects of the drugs you are taking and see if your meds are the culprit.
25. Avoid caffeine. At least one study has shown that, in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently, leaving you feeling its effects long after consumption. Be aware that some medications or supplements contain caffeine.
26. Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make you drowsy at first, the effect is short lived and you will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from entering the deeper stages of sleep, where your body does most of its healing.
27. Make certain you get regular exercise. Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day can improve your sleep. However, don't exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake.
28. Lose excess weight. Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep.
29. Avoid foods you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for sugar, grains, and pasteurized dairy. Sensitivity reactions can cause excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, bloating and gas, or other problems.
30. If you are menopausal or peri-menopausal, get checked out by a physician. The hormonal changes at this time may cause sleep problems if not properly addressed.
31. Tell your acupuncturist if you are having sleep problems. Regular treatment with acupuncture or herbs may help you establish the correct body rhythms.
If All Else Fails
32. Increase your melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. If that isn’t possible, you may want to consider a melatonin supplement. In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to increase sleepiness, help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep, decrease restlessness, and reverse daytime fatigue.
(These suggestions have been derived and edited from Mercola.com)
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Abundance--Not Scarcity
There is Abundance, Not Scarcity
Paul (not his real name) arrived at my office the other day, while I was on the phone with a prospective patient. He overheard me telling the caller that the best plan might be to go to one of my colleagues closer to where she lived, making treatment more convenient.
After the call, Paul shook his head. “Do you know how unusual your brand of medicine is?” He continued: “Any medical doctor you call would try to convince you that theirs was the ONLY practice for you. They wouldn’t give you the telephone number of a competitor. That’s the LAST thing they would do.”
He also reminded me how he eventually came to me: he had called an acupuncturist about 15 miles away and that person in turn referred him to me because it would be a better fit (location, health issue, etc.).
Paul works for the medical insurance industry, and he has been around western medicine for a long time. This seems to be the first time he has run into what I’ll call the “abundance model.” The Abundance Model (my term) says that there’s no shortage of sick people. It also says that for every person I refer to a colleague, I will likely get two additional calls from new clients. (Honest, it’s true, not just a theory.)
In my teaching career at the acupuncture institute, I know many of my colleagues and have referred many clients to them. So if you encounter a practice (of any kind) where there seems to be an air of stiff competition, you might be dealing with someone who is more concerned about his/her profits than about your well-being.
Do you have a sense of suffering in your life around scarcity? Competition?
Did you compete for your grades in school? (Can’t everyone get an A?) Do you like to have the newest smart phone on the day it is issued? (So what happens if you have to wait another week or two?)
What if your orientation to life becomes “abundance?” What if you just knew in your bones that there is enough for everyone?
And if that becomes the way you think, then how much of your suffering would cease?
Paul (not his real name) arrived at my office the other day, while I was on the phone with a prospective patient. He overheard me telling the caller that the best plan might be to go to one of my colleagues closer to where she lived, making treatment more convenient.
After the call, Paul shook his head. “Do you know how unusual your brand of medicine is?” He continued: “Any medical doctor you call would try to convince you that theirs was the ONLY practice for you. They wouldn’t give you the telephone number of a competitor. That’s the LAST thing they would do.”
He also reminded me how he eventually came to me: he had called an acupuncturist about 15 miles away and that person in turn referred him to me because it would be a better fit (location, health issue, etc.).
Paul works for the medical insurance industry, and he has been around western medicine for a long time. This seems to be the first time he has run into what I’ll call the “abundance model.” The Abundance Model (my term) says that there’s no shortage of sick people. It also says that for every person I refer to a colleague, I will likely get two additional calls from new clients. (Honest, it’s true, not just a theory.)
In my teaching career at the acupuncture institute, I know many of my colleagues and have referred many clients to them. So if you encounter a practice (of any kind) where there seems to be an air of stiff competition, you might be dealing with someone who is more concerned about his/her profits than about your well-being.
Do you have a sense of suffering in your life around scarcity? Competition?
Did you compete for your grades in school? (Can’t everyone get an A?) Do you like to have the newest smart phone on the day it is issued? (So what happens if you have to wait another week or two?)
What if your orientation to life becomes “abundance?” What if you just knew in your bones that there is enough for everyone?
And if that becomes the way you think, then how much of your suffering would cease?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tough Love
In the past several weeks I’ve found myself being a real hard-ass.
One of my clients has neck pain and headaches. I have advised her on several occasions to wear a scarf and hat in the cold wind of winter, because her head and neck pain were exacerbated by cold and wind. Last week she came in with a wet head (she got up late and washed her hair and didn’t dry it be fore leaving the house, and then didn’t cover it before heading out into 25 degree weather.) Her expectation was that I would “fix” her headache and neck pain.
Enter the hard-ass. I told her that if she refused to wear a hat and scarf, or went out with a wet head, I would refuse to treat her and that her pain was her own damned fault. Yesterday, she came in with a scarf and hat. I was relieved, and, it turned out, she was in less pain.
Sometimes getting tough is the only tool I have left. Acupuncture WON’T fix a problem that we are continually creating by our behaviors. Acupuncture won’t make you thin if you continue unhealthy eating habits. Acupuncture won’t help you sleep if you stay up all night on the computer and don’t help yourself with good nighttime sleep habits.
So look at what you are doing to sabotage your own health. We are all in the position to make changes that help us to achieve the results we are looking for.
One of my clients has neck pain and headaches. I have advised her on several occasions to wear a scarf and hat in the cold wind of winter, because her head and neck pain were exacerbated by cold and wind. Last week she came in with a wet head (she got up late and washed her hair and didn’t dry it be fore leaving the house, and then didn’t cover it before heading out into 25 degree weather.) Her expectation was that I would “fix” her headache and neck pain.
Enter the hard-ass. I told her that if she refused to wear a hat and scarf, or went out with a wet head, I would refuse to treat her and that her pain was her own damned fault. Yesterday, she came in with a scarf and hat. I was relieved, and, it turned out, she was in less pain.
Sometimes getting tough is the only tool I have left. Acupuncture WON’T fix a problem that we are continually creating by our behaviors. Acupuncture won’t make you thin if you continue unhealthy eating habits. Acupuncture won’t help you sleep if you stay up all night on the computer and don’t help yourself with good nighttime sleep habits.
So look at what you are doing to sabotage your own health. We are all in the position to make changes that help us to achieve the results we are looking for.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Acupuncture and The Insurance Issue: An Inside Look
This post was from Dr. Lisa Nash, a chiropractor in Vermont. It was taken from PerennialMedicine, a listserve on Yahoo for acupuncturists and those who are in a larger conversation about healthcare, as opposed to "fix-it" medicine. Dr. Nash has graciously permitted a reprint of her words.
Dear friends,
I am a chiropractor and so a member of a profession which has gone from being excluded from the insurance game to being a player within the last thirty-some years. While chiropractic and Chinese medicine differ in many important regards, I think some aspects of my profession's experience are likely relevant to you as you--individually and collectively--consider how you want to engage with the insurance industry.
Industry--there's the key word. Insurance is an industry, born of an industrial paradigm and keyed to the sensibilities of an industrial society. While those sensibilities are changing a bit as we move from an industrial to an "information" age, the basic assumptions are not radically transforming. Insurance is wedded to, inextricable from, a view of the body as a thing (an old fashioned machine or a computer, take your pick), and to a view of illness and injury as technical problems to be "fixed" or "solved" in the most expedient way possible.
Everything about the process of dealing with insurance hammers this point home. One must reduce the living patient--a unique spark of Divine creativity manifest here on Earth--to a set of numbers otherwise known as diagnostic codes. One must likewise reduce one's experience of and work with this person to a set of procedure codes, and one must make sure that one's notes justify the numbers one has chosen in both cases. This is not optional. If one is going to play the insurance game, one must play by these rules. Sure, people bend them all the time, but to do so compromises one's integrity in ways that are subtle but pervasive and powerful, and also puts one's financial security--the very security most of us are seeking when we choose to bill insurance--at risk. Here in Vermont, insurance companies have taken to auditing chiropractors' notes and demanding that the chiropractors repay the insurance companies--to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars--if there is any sign of discrepancy between the diagnosis and procedure codes and the chiropractor's notes.
The real issue is not the hassle of dealing with insurance--this is truly a technical problem which is easily managed in a variety of ways. The deeper question is whether the insurance paradigm is commensurable with the paradigm of Chinese medicine, and if not, what engaging with the insurance industry will do to your soul, as individual practitioners and as a community of healers.
Americans are prone to believe that we as individuals or minorities can engage with these vast collective entities and transform them from within. We tend to consistently over-estimate the power of the individual and to underestimate the power of the collective. Looking at the history of chiropractic's enfoldment by insurance, I would say that the collective entity has had far more effect upon us than we have had upon it.
Before the 1970's, chiropractors served a small minority of their communities but were greatly trusted and often beloved within those communities. Most were low-tech, high-touch family doctors, similar in tone, although not in method, to the allopathic family doctors of earlier generations. The trust and love were, I believe, rooted in part in the fact that chiropractors lived close to the economic standards of the (often working class) communities they served.
Since the 1970's, many chiropractors have gotten quite wealthy, but because the insurance paradigm defines us as musculoskeletal specialists, we are increasingly working as--and rightly viewed by the public--as such. Here in Vermont and in some other, mostly rural or poor urban, communities some chiropractors still play a wider role, one more in keeping with our profession's historical roots and beliefs, but we are the exception, not the rule. Meanwhile, I do not see that the insurance industry has become significantly more receptive to the understanding of the soma, health, and healing that was traditionally embedded within chiropractic thought and practice.
While chiropractors have undoubtedly gained a certain measure of credibility among allopaths in the years since we gained insurance recognition, we still serve a tiny minority of the public (less than 10%), and I would say that we have sacrificed some of the love and trust we historically enjoyed within the communities we served. Engagement with insurance has also deepened existing divides within the profession. The schism between those who want to play the allopathic game, with its relentless and exclusive demand for "scientific validation" and "evidence-based medicine" and those who insist that illness, health and healing are fundamentally mysterious and cannot be wholly encompassed within a Western mechanistic, reductionist scientific paradigm is probably irreconcilable.
Chinese medicine is rooted in a much more powerfully articulated tradition than modern chiropractic, a tradition that insists on mystery, even poetry, as necessary aspects of the dance of healing. This tradition is a powerful ally, but I question if even it is strong enough to withstand the daily assaults offered by engagement with the dominant mechanistic/reductionist paradigm so fully embodied in insurance. You, your traditions, your practices, will be changed by such engagement, and you will not have as much choice about the form such changes take as you might like to think.
I do not say there is a right or wrong answer here. I do think full consciousness of the risks as well as benefits of dealing with insurance is necessary. The allure of greater accessibility and income is great, but so are the potential losses. Caveat emptor.
love,
Lisa
Dear friends,
I am a chiropractor and so a member of a profession which has gone from being excluded from the insurance game to being a player within the last thirty-some years. While chiropractic and Chinese medicine differ in many important regards, I think some aspects of my profession's experience are likely relevant to you as you--individually and collectively--consider how you want to engage with the insurance industry.
Industry--there's the key word. Insurance is an industry, born of an industrial paradigm and keyed to the sensibilities of an industrial society. While those sensibilities are changing a bit as we move from an industrial to an "information" age, the basic assumptions are not radically transforming. Insurance is wedded to, inextricable from, a view of the body as a thing (an old fashioned machine or a computer, take your pick), and to a view of illness and injury as technical problems to be "fixed" or "solved" in the most expedient way possible.
Everything about the process of dealing with insurance hammers this point home. One must reduce the living patient--a unique spark of Divine creativity manifest here on Earth--to a set of numbers otherwise known as diagnostic codes. One must likewise reduce one's experience of and work with this person to a set of procedure codes, and one must make sure that one's notes justify the numbers one has chosen in both cases. This is not optional. If one is going to play the insurance game, one must play by these rules. Sure, people bend them all the time, but to do so compromises one's integrity in ways that are subtle but pervasive and powerful, and also puts one's financial security--the very security most of us are seeking when we choose to bill insurance--at risk. Here in Vermont, insurance companies have taken to auditing chiropractors' notes and demanding that the chiropractors repay the insurance companies--to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars--if there is any sign of discrepancy between the diagnosis and procedure codes and the chiropractor's notes.
The real issue is not the hassle of dealing with insurance--this is truly a technical problem which is easily managed in a variety of ways. The deeper question is whether the insurance paradigm is commensurable with the paradigm of Chinese medicine, and if not, what engaging with the insurance industry will do to your soul, as individual practitioners and as a community of healers.
Americans are prone to believe that we as individuals or minorities can engage with these vast collective entities and transform them from within. We tend to consistently over-estimate the power of the individual and to underestimate the power of the collective. Looking at the history of chiropractic's enfoldment by insurance, I would say that the collective entity has had far more effect upon us than we have had upon it.
Before the 1970's, chiropractors served a small minority of their communities but were greatly trusted and often beloved within those communities. Most were low-tech, high-touch family doctors, similar in tone, although not in method, to the allopathic family doctors of earlier generations. The trust and love were, I believe, rooted in part in the fact that chiropractors lived close to the economic standards of the (often working class) communities they served.
Since the 1970's, many chiropractors have gotten quite wealthy, but because the insurance paradigm defines us as musculoskeletal specialists, we are increasingly working as--and rightly viewed by the public--as such. Here in Vermont and in some other, mostly rural or poor urban, communities some chiropractors still play a wider role, one more in keeping with our profession's historical roots and beliefs, but we are the exception, not the rule. Meanwhile, I do not see that the insurance industry has become significantly more receptive to the understanding of the soma, health, and healing that was traditionally embedded within chiropractic thought and practice.
While chiropractors have undoubtedly gained a certain measure of credibility among allopaths in the years since we gained insurance recognition, we still serve a tiny minority of the public (less than 10%), and I would say that we have sacrificed some of the love and trust we historically enjoyed within the communities we served. Engagement with insurance has also deepened existing divides within the profession. The schism between those who want to play the allopathic game, with its relentless and exclusive demand for "scientific validation" and "evidence-based medicine" and those who insist that illness, health and healing are fundamentally mysterious and cannot be wholly encompassed within a Western mechanistic, reductionist scientific paradigm is probably irreconcilable.
Chinese medicine is rooted in a much more powerfully articulated tradition than modern chiropractic, a tradition that insists on mystery, even poetry, as necessary aspects of the dance of healing. This tradition is a powerful ally, but I question if even it is strong enough to withstand the daily assaults offered by engagement with the dominant mechanistic/reductionist paradigm so fully embodied in insurance. You, your traditions, your practices, will be changed by such engagement, and you will not have as much choice about the form such changes take as you might like to think.
I do not say there is a right or wrong answer here. I do think full consciousness of the risks as well as benefits of dealing with insurance is necessary. The allure of greater accessibility and income is great, but so are the potential losses. Caveat emptor.
love,
Lisa
Monday, February 1, 2010
Chinese New Year: The Year of the Tiger
Tigers of Chinese Astrology are truly a force of nature. They are dependable, unpredictable, fearless, stout-hearted, tender and loving. Tigers have the ability to think on their feet and have a primal desire for adventure and first hand experience of life.
The well-known striped coat of the Tiger reflects yin and yang: the theory/practice of opposites: yes/no; go/stop; high/low; fast/slow; now/later. For those of us who believe animals can think, we can see—even in our housecats (a smaller version of the Tiger)-- that they are constantly making decisions. When the cat has identified her prey, as she gets a lock on the goal, her tendons and ligaments tighten as she gets ready to run or pounce, she mentally calculates how fast to run, how high to jump, when to attack. It’s decision-making at the highest order. The wild cat that is slow---or wrong---goes hungry.
The springtime (Wood Element) embodies all these decisions too: nature is “deciding” when to emerge; how fast to grow; when to blossom; how much to show itself. Groundhog Day, which is always in the same week as Chinese New Year, is the American equivalent of this decision-making. The groundhog, hearing and feeling the expansion of tree roots, decides when to emerge, and whether to stay out or go back in. With the cues of longer days and the occasional warmth that sporadically appear in late January, the groundhog emerges (at least Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) to engage in his ritual decision-making.
As we emerge from Winter, we need to use our cleverness. Is this the right time to take off your coat? Is it right to go from being a couch potato to running the marathon? Is it time to leap into action in the garden? We are beginning to get restless as the winter seems to drag on; cabin fever starts to set in. It is so tempting to burst forth too early. Those who do will get sick: taking off the coat too early will leave you vulnerable to colds and flu. Planting the garden too early will yield dead plants as frost can continue well into late March, not to mention sore muscles and tendons from working your body after a long, lazy winter. Telling others your plans too early will leave you bored with them before you actually begin. The spring is a time of tender beginnings. Doing things too soon will yield “a hungry cat.”
Watch how nature slowly emerges in the Spring. There is order, timing, and vulnerability. Emerge slowly and wisely. Make good decisions about when and how to emerge. And when you do, be assertive and embody the power of the Tiger.
The well-known striped coat of the Tiger reflects yin and yang: the theory/practice of opposites: yes/no; go/stop; high/low; fast/slow; now/later. For those of us who believe animals can think, we can see—even in our housecats (a smaller version of the Tiger)-- that they are constantly making decisions. When the cat has identified her prey, as she gets a lock on the goal, her tendons and ligaments tighten as she gets ready to run or pounce, she mentally calculates how fast to run, how high to jump, when to attack. It’s decision-making at the highest order. The wild cat that is slow---or wrong---goes hungry.
The springtime (Wood Element) embodies all these decisions too: nature is “deciding” when to emerge; how fast to grow; when to blossom; how much to show itself. Groundhog Day, which is always in the same week as Chinese New Year, is the American equivalent of this decision-making. The groundhog, hearing and feeling the expansion of tree roots, decides when to emerge, and whether to stay out or go back in. With the cues of longer days and the occasional warmth that sporadically appear in late January, the groundhog emerges (at least Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) to engage in his ritual decision-making.
As we emerge from Winter, we need to use our cleverness. Is this the right time to take off your coat? Is it right to go from being a couch potato to running the marathon? Is it time to leap into action in the garden? We are beginning to get restless as the winter seems to drag on; cabin fever starts to set in. It is so tempting to burst forth too early. Those who do will get sick: taking off the coat too early will leave you vulnerable to colds and flu. Planting the garden too early will yield dead plants as frost can continue well into late March, not to mention sore muscles and tendons from working your body after a long, lazy winter. Telling others your plans too early will leave you bored with them before you actually begin. The spring is a time of tender beginnings. Doing things too soon will yield “a hungry cat.”
Watch how nature slowly emerges in the Spring. There is order, timing, and vulnerability. Emerge slowly and wisely. Make good decisions about when and how to emerge. And when you do, be assertive and embody the power of the Tiger.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Chinese Classics on WINTER
The following comes from a translation of The Nei Jing, the ancient classic of Chinese medicine:
"The three months of Winter are called the period of closing and storing. Water freezes and the Earth cracks open. One should not disturb one's Yang. People should retire early at night and rise late in the morning and they should wait for the rising of the sun. They should suppress and conceal their wishes, as though they had no internal purpose, as though they had been fulfilled. People should try to escape the cold and they should seek warmth; they should not perspire upon the skin, they should let themselves be deprived of breath of the cold. All this is in harmony with the atmosphere of Winter and all this is the method for the protection of one's storing. Those who disobey [the laws of Winter] will suffer an injury of the kidneys [testicles]; for them Spring will bring impotence, and they will produce little."
From Ilza Veith's translation of the Nei Jing, p.103
Clearly a bit sexist, but you get the message. It's time to "do" life differently. For the next few months (until early February) the winter demands that we get into quiet mode. Without this adjustment in our energetic output, we will have a poor "yield" in spring and summer.
"The three months of Winter are called the period of closing and storing. Water freezes and the Earth cracks open. One should not disturb one's Yang. People should retire early at night and rise late in the morning and they should wait for the rising of the sun. They should suppress and conceal their wishes, as though they had no internal purpose, as though they had been fulfilled. People should try to escape the cold and they should seek warmth; they should not perspire upon the skin, they should let themselves be deprived of breath of the cold. All this is in harmony with the atmosphere of Winter and all this is the method for the protection of one's storing. Those who disobey [the laws of Winter] will suffer an injury of the kidneys [testicles]; for them Spring will bring impotence, and they will produce little."
From Ilza Veith's translation of the Nei Jing, p.103
Clearly a bit sexist, but you get the message. It's time to "do" life differently. For the next few months (until early February) the winter demands that we get into quiet mode. Without this adjustment in our energetic output, we will have a poor "yield" in spring and summer.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Infant with Colic, GERD and Dypsnea
Several months ago a client called about her new grandson, who had been having vomiting, constipation, "colic" symptoms and very rigorous crying bouts. He was so digestively upset that he was losing weight rapidly. He was only about two months old, and the symptoms were so severe that the doctors were considering some kind of surgery on his GI system to probe the symptoms.
Now, I don't treat little babies very often (hardly ever) but this seemed like a pretty intense intervention, so I encouraged her to bring him with her to her next appointment with me.
What I saw was a pretty pissed-off little baby, with physical signs indicating what happens when someone is angry. He had been swaddled so tightly that he could barely move. The doctors had encouraged this wrapping technique. When beings (children, adults, cats, dogs, etc.) are held too tightly they "fight" in rebellion. The energy that is supposed to go "down" in us (digestion, pooping, sleep) now travels UPWARD, and creates pathology. (The same things happens when I walk my dog and see dogs who are rarely--if ever--let off the leash. They pull and pull until their throats are damaged and can hardly breathe.)
I encouraged the mom and grandmother to loosen this child's clothing and blankets, and to allow his legs and arms to move freely. The grandmother called two days later to tell me that all the symptoms, including the angry, incessant crying had disappeared. He was eating again, not vomiting, and he was a much happier baby. I didn't use needles. All I did was observe and make a recommendation about this particular baby's energy, and what he seemed to need to thrive. (I am not saying that this is what can help ALL babies with this digestive issue, but rather that we have to look at the individual and find out what is helpful.)
Acupuncture is a way to look at the body's energy through a particular lens...a lens of what needs to change in order for the organism to thrive. Sometimes simple changes are what's needed to change the direction of health. An acupuncturist is a coach who can look through a lens different from your own and can make some suggestions that western practitioners often don't think about.
Now, I don't treat little babies very often (hardly ever) but this seemed like a pretty intense intervention, so I encouraged her to bring him with her to her next appointment with me.
What I saw was a pretty pissed-off little baby, with physical signs indicating what happens when someone is angry. He had been swaddled so tightly that he could barely move. The doctors had encouraged this wrapping technique. When beings (children, adults, cats, dogs, etc.) are held too tightly they "fight" in rebellion. The energy that is supposed to go "down" in us (digestion, pooping, sleep) now travels UPWARD, and creates pathology. (The same things happens when I walk my dog and see dogs who are rarely--if ever--let off the leash. They pull and pull until their throats are damaged and can hardly breathe.)
I encouraged the mom and grandmother to loosen this child's clothing and blankets, and to allow his legs and arms to move freely. The grandmother called two days later to tell me that all the symptoms, including the angry, incessant crying had disappeared. He was eating again, not vomiting, and he was a much happier baby. I didn't use needles. All I did was observe and make a recommendation about this particular baby's energy, and what he seemed to need to thrive. (I am not saying that this is what can help ALL babies with this digestive issue, but rather that we have to look at the individual and find out what is helpful.)
Acupuncture is a way to look at the body's energy through a particular lens...a lens of what needs to change in order for the organism to thrive. Sometimes simple changes are what's needed to change the direction of health. An acupuncturist is a coach who can look through a lens different from your own and can make some suggestions that western practitioners often don't think about.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Patient or Partner?
I’ve always been uncomfortable with the word “patient.” While on the one had it helps me to understand that health doesn’t come instantaneously, it also has the flavor of being passive. We have been trained in this culture to be good “patients," as in: “Trust me, I’m the doctor; I know what’s best for you. Be compliant. Don’t question”.
As an acupuncturist, I will ask my clients to be more active in their own healthcare. First, (and not unimportantly) you will be asked for a commitment of your time, energy and awareness.
With acupuncture, treatments are more frequent and may be regularly scheduled over the course of long periods of time. Will you be committed to getting there on time, personally prepared for the treatment? Are you willing to put the time in to make necessary changes?
Next, I will ask you to observe your daily patterns, such as sleep, moods, energy levels, food cravings, elimination, etc., to discover for yourself if you are living in a way that optimizes your own health.
And at some point in treatment, I will ask if you are willing to do some homework. For example, are you willing to cut down on your coffee, alcohol, or work hours? do some exercise? take naps? adjust your bedtime? Are you willing to keep a journal that will help record your patterns and the symptoms you have been experiencing? Are you willing to do the things that will enhance the treatments you are receiving? Are you willing to eliminate the phrase "Well, that's just how I am"?
If you find that making commitment to some change is not possible, we will have to figure out what is in the way and how to proceed from there. We need to figure out how to make change as palatable and smooth as possible. And once you see results, I am hoping that the changes will be positive enough to make them permanent.
Partners keep their agreements or negotiate other ones. Be partner, not passive.
As an acupuncturist, I will ask my clients to be more active in their own healthcare. First, (and not unimportantly) you will be asked for a commitment of your time, energy and awareness.
With acupuncture, treatments are more frequent and may be regularly scheduled over the course of long periods of time. Will you be committed to getting there on time, personally prepared for the treatment? Are you willing to put the time in to make necessary changes?
Next, I will ask you to observe your daily patterns, such as sleep, moods, energy levels, food cravings, elimination, etc., to discover for yourself if you are living in a way that optimizes your own health.
And at some point in treatment, I will ask if you are willing to do some homework. For example, are you willing to cut down on your coffee, alcohol, or work hours? do some exercise? take naps? adjust your bedtime? Are you willing to keep a journal that will help record your patterns and the symptoms you have been experiencing? Are you willing to do the things that will enhance the treatments you are receiving? Are you willing to eliminate the phrase "Well, that's just how I am"?
If you find that making commitment to some change is not possible, we will have to figure out what is in the way and how to proceed from there. We need to figure out how to make change as palatable and smooth as possible. And once you see results, I am hoping that the changes will be positive enough to make them permanent.
Partners keep their agreements or negotiate other ones. Be partner, not passive.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Control-Alt-Delete Sugar
I found the article below in an online blog, and thought it worthy of pasting here. Please put your comments, suggestions here, because I'm ALWAYS trying to find sugar alternatives for myself, as well as for my clients. So far, I am using honey and agave syrup, and don't miss the white sugar nearly as much as I thought I would.
By Glenna Crooks | October 5th, 2009
"Perhaps you’ve seen it: the grocery-shopping mom, complaining about a sugar tax, saying it’s hard enough to raise a family in these times.
I saw it, and could not believe it. Was this ad actually claiming that families need sugared sodas to make it through tough times?
It took watching it on line at http://www.nofoodtaxes.com/ads/ several times to see that yes, indeed, that’s what it claimed.
I’ll agree that a soda and other sugared items are a nice occasional treat, but I see no evidence that they’re necessary to keep a family happy – or that there are no alternatives.
I’ve begun talking to kids about what they drink. Here is what I got:
• I used to drink apple juice, now I drink water.
• I drink water; that’s good for you.
• I drink milk when I eat and water other times.
• I used to drink (naming a brand soda) but now I drink water. The (soda) made my feel icky and I did not know how much until I stopped drinking it all the time.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of plain water. I like a slice of lemon in it.
What about you? Do you have a favorite alternative to sugared drinks?
Do you have any recipes for the beleaguered Mom trying to keep her family happy in these tough times? Do you have any tricks for weaning a family off sugared drinks?"
By Glenna Crooks | October 5th, 2009
"Perhaps you’ve seen it: the grocery-shopping mom, complaining about a sugar tax, saying it’s hard enough to raise a family in these times.
I saw it, and could not believe it. Was this ad actually claiming that families need sugared sodas to make it through tough times?
It took watching it on line at http://www.nofoodtaxes.com/ads/ several times to see that yes, indeed, that’s what it claimed.
I’ll agree that a soda and other sugared items are a nice occasional treat, but I see no evidence that they’re necessary to keep a family happy – or that there are no alternatives.
I’ve begun talking to kids about what they drink. Here is what I got:
• I used to drink apple juice, now I drink water.
• I drink water; that’s good for you.
• I drink milk when I eat and water other times.
• I used to drink (naming a brand soda) but now I drink water. The (soda) made my feel icky and I did not know how much until I stopped drinking it all the time.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of plain water. I like a slice of lemon in it.
What about you? Do you have a favorite alternative to sugared drinks?
Do you have any recipes for the beleaguered Mom trying to keep her family happy in these tough times? Do you have any tricks for weaning a family off sugared drinks?"
Monday, October 5, 2009
Aging and the Life Cycle
Last week, I went to a new doctor, a specialist I had never seen before. She remarked on my name, Clayton, as a name not often seen in “women of your generation.” I was dumbfounded, and felt like slapping her. “My generation,” indeed. What did this little punk know?—she looked about 12 years old. I regained my composure and we managed to get on just fine, but I reflected on that statement for awhile after that visit. (Actually, I was rather startled at the degree of my reaction, and the duration of it.)
The next day, a haircut scheduled, I went to my hairdresser and, in conversation, she mentioned that people like me, in my “golden years,”……I admit I couldn’t even hear what followed. “GOLDEN YEARS!” DAMN.
Then, a couple of days later, I received an email from one of my clients. She was passing along some humor, which I love to receive, and it was addressed to “my more mature friends,” and then proceeded to tell some jokes of interest to “elderly” people (that exact word was in the email) having to do with laxatives and Depends.
That was it. In the space of 4 days, I had been referred to, personally, as an old lady three times. Then…making matters worse… I received my Social Security earning statement, which has now become an annual event. (When does that happen? When they get wind of people referring to me as “old?”)
So what’s the message here? Is this the time to dye my hair? Get a face lift? Retire? Buy a plot?
In times like this, I have to realize that I am listening (and thinking) with a filter of being an American in a western culture that worships the young. I must open my mind (change my filter?) and think about Chinese medicine and what the sages say. (A more educated and open-minded version of a crystal ball?) After all, the Asians revered age, saying that wisdom is the proprietary advantage of those who have lived longer and experienced more.
The stage of life I’m referring to is the Metal stage. (All cycles have stages, whether the cycle is short, such as a year, or long, such as a lifetime.) The Metal stage is said to be characterized by “decrease.” We see this as the waning of the length of days in Autumn, and the waning of youth and fullness in age. Ok, so far so good. I am on board with this. I’m not blind to the mirror: silver hair, small lines on my face, and droopings here and there. (Note: I’m not being specific as to where.)
(Let me pause here to tell you that I just heard a famous “foodie” on the radio describe the sweetest fruit as having shrunk just a bit in its wrinkled skin..I like that. I also love the look of the maples turning color outside, and the smell of the leaves rotting in autumn...all the sensory cues representing this stage of the life cycle.)
The Metal time of life is said to be rich with knowledge, memory and the gems of having lived and learned. This is the phase of life that is known for honor and integrity, meant to be respected. Metal, the icon of this stage, is created through pressure---the pressure of centuries of living; organic matter made stronger through time. What is created is golden, valuable, gem-like…rich….diamonds, jade, rubies.
I liked this. “Golden years” takes on a whole different cut when I think of it this way; not a disparaging euphemism at all. My task is to enter this phase of my life with the grace and strength I know I have within, and the knowledge that I can live through anything that comes my way. All is placed in perspective with age and experience. Thankfully. I'll need all the grace I can muster when eventually I have to shop for my Depends.
The next day, a haircut scheduled, I went to my hairdresser and, in conversation, she mentioned that people like me, in my “golden years,”……I admit I couldn’t even hear what followed. “GOLDEN YEARS!” DAMN.
Then, a couple of days later, I received an email from one of my clients. She was passing along some humor, which I love to receive, and it was addressed to “my more mature friends,” and then proceeded to tell some jokes of interest to “elderly” people (that exact word was in the email) having to do with laxatives and Depends.
That was it. In the space of 4 days, I had been referred to, personally, as an old lady three times. Then…making matters worse… I received my Social Security earning statement, which has now become an annual event. (When does that happen? When they get wind of people referring to me as “old?”)
So what’s the message here? Is this the time to dye my hair? Get a face lift? Retire? Buy a plot?
In times like this, I have to realize that I am listening (and thinking) with a filter of being an American in a western culture that worships the young. I must open my mind (change my filter?) and think about Chinese medicine and what the sages say. (A more educated and open-minded version of a crystal ball?) After all, the Asians revered age, saying that wisdom is the proprietary advantage of those who have lived longer and experienced more.
The stage of life I’m referring to is the Metal stage. (All cycles have stages, whether the cycle is short, such as a year, or long, such as a lifetime.) The Metal stage is said to be characterized by “decrease.” We see this as the waning of the length of days in Autumn, and the waning of youth and fullness in age. Ok, so far so good. I am on board with this. I’m not blind to the mirror: silver hair, small lines on my face, and droopings here and there. (Note: I’m not being specific as to where.)
(Let me pause here to tell you that I just heard a famous “foodie” on the radio describe the sweetest fruit as having shrunk just a bit in its wrinkled skin..I like that. I also love the look of the maples turning color outside, and the smell of the leaves rotting in autumn...all the sensory cues representing this stage of the life cycle.)
The Metal time of life is said to be rich with knowledge, memory and the gems of having lived and learned. This is the phase of life that is known for honor and integrity, meant to be respected. Metal, the icon of this stage, is created through pressure---the pressure of centuries of living; organic matter made stronger through time. What is created is golden, valuable, gem-like…rich….diamonds, jade, rubies.
I liked this. “Golden years” takes on a whole different cut when I think of it this way; not a disparaging euphemism at all. My task is to enter this phase of my life with the grace and strength I know I have within, and the knowledge that I can live through anything that comes my way. All is placed in perspective with age and experience. Thankfully. I'll need all the grace I can muster when eventually I have to shop for my Depends.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Autumn Season in Chinese Medicine
The Autumn Season | Chinese Medicine
Within the cosmology of Chinese medicine, human beings are regarded as microcosms of the natural universe. We are subject to the same cycles that occur in nature. Autumn follows on the tail of the harvest, signaling that it is time to prepare for winter. The sap of trees settles into the interior, sinking down toward the roots. With fall comes a sense of gathering in, stocking up, mingled with a sense of loss as the light begins to fade and the air chills. It is a time to eliminate what is unnecessary and become aware of what is essential.
The organ system that shares the power of this season is the Lung. Corresponding to the temperament of autumn, the Lung pulls in and refines the Qi, (energy) sending it downward to nourish our roots. Ruling the skin, the outer limit of the human body, the Lung protects against external invasion and safeguards internal resources. Since autumn is a dry season, we need to protect ourselves from cold air evaporation of moisture from our skin. Moistening, softening, and nurturing foods for this time include white rice, white beans, pears, radishes, sea vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, turnips and parsnips.
The Lung is also responsible for our capacity to discern and discriminate, defining and refining our sense of what is right, morally and ethically. It is the Lung that nourishes our capacity to be analytic, critical, methodical, efficient and disciplined. Autumn reminds us that we reap what we have sown, that all of our actions have consequences. The clarity that comes with autumn enables us to distinguish between the things that contribute not only to our own well being, but also the benefit of others, reminding us that we live in an interdependent world. This capacity will serve us in this election season as we choose leaders who represent our higher aspirations for a peaceful world that equitably shares resources, and a natural environment that can sustain us all.
This article is borrowed from a blogpost by Harriet Bienfield, L.Ac., author of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine
Within the cosmology of Chinese medicine, human beings are regarded as microcosms of the natural universe. We are subject to the same cycles that occur in nature. Autumn follows on the tail of the harvest, signaling that it is time to prepare for winter. The sap of trees settles into the interior, sinking down toward the roots. With fall comes a sense of gathering in, stocking up, mingled with a sense of loss as the light begins to fade and the air chills. It is a time to eliminate what is unnecessary and become aware of what is essential.
The organ system that shares the power of this season is the Lung. Corresponding to the temperament of autumn, the Lung pulls in and refines the Qi, (energy) sending it downward to nourish our roots. Ruling the skin, the outer limit of the human body, the Lung protects against external invasion and safeguards internal resources. Since autumn is a dry season, we need to protect ourselves from cold air evaporation of moisture from our skin. Moistening, softening, and nurturing foods for this time include white rice, white beans, pears, radishes, sea vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, turnips and parsnips.
The Lung is also responsible for our capacity to discern and discriminate, defining and refining our sense of what is right, morally and ethically. It is the Lung that nourishes our capacity to be analytic, critical, methodical, efficient and disciplined. Autumn reminds us that we reap what we have sown, that all of our actions have consequences. The clarity that comes with autumn enables us to distinguish between the things that contribute not only to our own well being, but also the benefit of others, reminding us that we live in an interdependent world. This capacity will serve us in this election season as we choose leaders who represent our higher aspirations for a peaceful world that equitably shares resources, and a natural environment that can sustain us all.
This article is borrowed from a blogpost by Harriet Bienfield, L.Ac., author of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine
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