In Traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is the season of the Liver, which makes it the perfect time to clean up your dietary habits and give it a break. The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of energy in our body, and needs to be unclogged to function properly. This important organ is where the body stores waste products and processes the toxins that we put into our bodies.

Here are a few recommendations I give my patients when they ask about doing a Spring cleanse:

-       Organic Only Make sure your sources of proteins and fats are organic. This includes nuts, oils, poultry and fish.

-       Be Gluten-Free Products that contain wheat and gluten can wreak havoc on the body, so try not to eat either.

-       Eating green fresh spring foods help cleanse the Liver and aid in detoxification of the body. Eat plenty of fresh greens, such as spinach, kale, broccoli, dandelion greens, and lettuce.

-       Avoid white flour and sugar, caffeine, and dairy, red meat, soy, and peanuts. These are considered inflammatory to your body.

-       Make a list of things you can eat, instead of focusing on what you can’t. It will make your life and the pleasure of eating a lot easier during these weeks.

Acupuncture treatments throughout the cleanse will help move the stagnate qi, help with headaches from caffeine and sugar withdrawal, and keep you motivated. Plan for at least one acupuncture treatment a week while you are following a cleanse.

Keep in mind that there are deeper levels of why a cleanse or detox might be a good idea for you, such as a serious allergy or the need for a complete diet change. For this reason, I recommend patients come in to my clinic so we can work together on a cleanse that is tailored to their specific needs.

Heart Acupuncture

February is nearly here- the month where the focus is on love. While sending love to others is a wonderful idea, it’s also the ideal time to think about love for yourself, especially your body. The best way to show your body some love it is to take care of it.

Your body wants to be healthy, and to function at its best. When you are sick or hurt, your body does everything it can to heal itself. The excess phlegm when you have a cold? Your body attacking the virus. That cut that healed in a week? Your cells working hard to make you whole again. The human body is pretty incredible, and should be treated properly.

-Nourish yourself with proper food. Eat organic foods, and prepare them yourself.  When you put time and thought into nutritious meals, you appreciate the food more. It also makes you more aware of the nutritional choices going into your body (unlike processed foods, where you often have no idea!).

-Exercise is absolutely necessary for your body and for your mind. Releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine makes you feel good while losing fat and toning muscles. What better way to spend your lunch hour several days a week? And check out this Science Daily article if you are having second thoughts on exercise. New brain cells, anyone?

-Acupuncture allow healing both physically and mentally. By clearing your mind, you help to “reset” your body physically. Letting go of unnecessary stress loosens muscles, releases endorphins, and puts the body in a state of relaxed bliss.

-Massage centers and relaxes the body.  During a session, you become aware of the parts that need more attention or may be tender. I always end my treatments with some massage – usually facial, scalp or shoulders, to help ground and center my patients (and who doesn’t like massage on a nice warm treatment table?)

Respect your body by treating it right. Follow those basic rules we hear again and again: nourish your body with good food, exercise, and promote general well-being by getting acupuncture or a massage. You have to give a little love to get a little love- your body will thank you for it!

p.s. Worried about loving the new shape of your post-baby body? Check out the Zenana Spa blog for ideas- so great!

Click here to view the embedded video.

That lush, fresh green color the West coast is famous for has indeed come to life at last, but unfortunately, those of us who suffer from allergies (as much as we love being outdoors and enjoying the spring), also have to contend with the stuffy noses, watery and itching eyes, skin reactions, wheezing or increased asthma symptoms.

I have had so many patients who are suffering from allergy symptoms these past two months. In the past, these patients have never had a problem in the spring. It seems like the consistent damp weather has led to a different kind of symptoms this year: phlegm created by the dampness. Chinese medicine practitioners refer to a lot of visible phlegm as excessive phlegm-dampness in the Lungs, because that’s exactly what it is The excess phlegm, be it white or yellow is a problem because it causes congestion and irritation in the body, and needs to be cleared out.

To ward off these symptoms and clear out the phlegm, get acupuncture! Plan for weekly treatments, and be sure to take an allergy formula that suits you best (see below for recommendations). By getting acupuncture now, and targeting the Lung, Kidneys and Spleen channels, you will boost your Qi and enhance your immune system so it can fight appropriately. In the case of excess phlegm, the body is overreacting, which causes the phlegm, itchy eyes and general inflammation in the body.

Some tips to help right now:

DRINK warm teas (black tea if you have white phlegm, green if it’s yellow)

TAKE Chinese Medicine in any form- granules, pills, teas, tinctures, (Bi Yan Pian is a common sinus formula, and Nasal Tabs 2 by Health Concerns is another good formula). These herbal formulas won’t dry you out in the ways that a lot of antihistamines can.

EAT warm soups, stews and stir frys. Cold coffee drinks, iced drinks and excessively cold foods can make symptoms worse. Avoid dairy and sugar when possible- they will create more phlegm. Whole foods are the best, so continue to avoid processed and packaged foods, and enjoy the fresh spring foods at the farmer’s markets

WEAR clothes! When the sun is out, we feel that it’s time to strip off winter layers, but it’s important we continue to keep our bodies warm. We don’t want phlegm-inducing colds making the allergy symptoms worse.

HYDROTHERAPY for your nasal sinus passages (a technique was recommended to me by Dr Igor Schwartzman). Take a warm washcloth, and soak it in warm to hot water (be careful not to burn yourself). Place the cloth over the sinus pain areas for 2 minutes, then take another washcloth and soak it in cold water. Hold it in the same place for 30 seconds. Repeat this two more times, and up to three times a day. This creates movement in the clogged sinus areas, helps prevent stagnation in the sinus cavities and feels good when the stuffiness is causing pain.

Good luck and enjoy the sun whenever it’s out!

The Yinova clinic blog posted an article about fertility and natural medicine which was featured in the  June 2011 Natural  Health Magazine. The article talks about how natural medicine, such as acupuncture, herbs, yoga, meditation, and other modalities help with fertility when other options might not.

The tips to make healthier choices for general health and to optimize fertility are great:

• Get your protein from plants- Animal proteins requiere more insulin to process. Try beans, peas and nuts to mix it up.
• Ban trans fats-avoid processed, packaged and fried foods. Stick to foods with the good fats- avocado, nuts and olive oil are great choices.
• Drink more water-avoid soda and caffeine!
• Beware of the sugar spike- avoid soda, white breads, and potatoes to reduce the overgrowth of yeasts in the body.

The article also suggests that patients take a general herbal tonic , but I feel that it’s best to take specific herbal formula for individual needs. Chinese Medicine practitioners are trained to treat each patient as an individual, which means that each herb going into a formula is tailored specifically for that patient. There are several lines of Chinese herbs that come in a patent formula, and they are all according to body types.

Check out this article by Jill Blakeway, LAc to find out more on what your body type might be. After a Chinese Medicine diagnosis, practitioners can tell you which herbal formulas or diet changes might be the best for you.

On Monday, March 28, 2011, acupuncturists nationwide will join together to help Japan.  We will donate 10%, or some other specified amount, of our proceeds for that day to Japan.  Here is a link of reputable organizations that the Huffington Post has suggested people donate to:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/how-to-help-japan-earthquake-relief_n_834484.html?ref=fb&src=sp#sb=880770,b=facebook.

We will choose, individually, which organization we want to support and donate to them.

Cita Oudijk, L.Ac.(of Open Gate Acupuncture)

A good time to get acupuncture AND support a good cause.

http://www.stevenellis.com/

Rockies pitcher Jason Hammel used acupuncture and herbs to heal his arm, and had great results!

After a forgettable finish last season, Rockies right-hander Jason Hammel turned to acupuncture and herbs. He did so at his wife’s suggestion, openly searching for a way to combat a dead arm and lacking energy that he traced to cholesterol medication.

He sought treatment three times a week, and has felt much better all around. See the rest of the article at the Denver Post.

It’s so nice to see that acupuncture is making the news as effective pain relief. I treat a lot of patients with pain conditions, and often get great results in just a few treatments. When we are treating pain, it’s said that if you get acupuncture weekly, it will take about a month for each year you have had the pain (sooner if you get treatments more often). But if the pain is acute, it can relive symptoms much faster, and with less side effects that pain medications. It’s nice to get relief without nausea, constipation, or dizziness that opioids can cause.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Enjoy the Year of the Rabbit, which should be a welcome respite after the exciting yet tumultuous year of the Tiger. Many patients have commented to me that 2010 was an interesting year, but are hoping this year will be a little calmer. So take it easy, but don’t be too indulgent, and be sure to take some time to heal the body and mind with acupuncture and herbal medicine.

In keeping with the celebration of 2011, Portland has a lot of activities to welcome in the Lunar New Year. Check out the Lan Su Gardens downtown- they have talks about Chinese Medicine for each year (associating specific organs with each animal year), discussions on Feng Shui, and Tai Chi this month.

Have a wonderful 2011!

Here is a quick synopsis from the OAAOM site:

“Having suffered a devastating stroke, forty-year-old Devin Dearth fights for a chance at recovery while facing the confines of the U.S. healthcare system. This award-winning documentary by director Doug Dearth, follows his brother’s unconventional journey to Tianjin, China where he is immersed in a rehabilitation program which uses acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicines to treat stroke patients. Less an indictment of the health care industry, and more a story of one family’s love, faith and desire to overcome. 9000 Needles delivers a powerful and emotional message of hope, courage and the true power of the human spirit.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Doors open at 5:00 PM. Tickets are $10 General Admission ($5 for students and children)*. The screening is sponsored by the Oregon Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (OAAOM).

Contact infooaaomcom for more information, and visit www.9000needles.com for more information about the film.

Check out this brief article in the Willamette Weekly about dry needling and the potential effects if the vote passes tomorrow.

The OAAOM also has a list of past letters written about this issue- read them on their website for more information

What do you think?