blog

Rabbit Spring

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:26:53 +0100

The wheel has once again turned and we find ourselves in Spring. As we hop along in this Year of the Rabbit, you might have felt the quiet, hibernating qi of winter shift into the quick, sprouting qi of spring. As yin once again transforms into yang, we have been in a delicate time. According to Taoist teacher Liu Ming, this time (around the spring equinox) has long been considered precarious; as TCM would say, "pernicious evils abound." In our context, this means the wild winds and constantly changing weather, coupled with that confusing, California everything-all-the-time feeling, makes it easy to run ourselves down, and catch lots of colds going around. So although there is the antsy urge toward productivity, the way of balance calls us to remember that there are still many dark hours of the evening. Contemplation and reflection, rest, and planting seeds from which our forward motion can naturally sprout, continue to have as much value as our plans and to-do lists. In fact, without storing our grain, saving our money, or cultivating our qi, we wouldn't have anything to produce, to carry forward. So one of the most forgotten, yet essential health care tips I'd like to offer is to make as much time for rest, open non-planned time, and creativity as you do for getting things done. This is not just theoretical, but truly provides more immune and longevity support for you and your loved ones than any supplement, herb, exercise or diet plan.

As we navigate the season of the liver (corresponding with the element wood), we notice related imbalances become more pronounced, such as allergies. Luckily, nature perfectly provides; greens such as nettles and dandelion are beginning to sprout, offering tasty liver-cleansing options. I like the roasted dandelion tea from Traditional Medicinals. If you find yourself coming out of winter hibernation feeling sluggish, hard to get out of bed or have an appetite in the morning, feeling overweight and overeating, foggy-headed without coffee, or suffering inflammatory skin or bowel symptoms, you might consider the 21-day detox program. Last spring I wrote about my hesitation surrounding cleanses. However, this one honors my essential criteria for a safe and effective treatment plan; whole-food/plant-based, honors TCM and natural principles, properly timed within the year's qi cycle, and can be tailored for your particular constitution/patterns. If you'd like to know more or sign up to join us for this "spring cleaning," call us at 510-597-9923.

Below are a few recipes that utilize the last of the stored winter qi (with the last of the roots at the farmer's market), and take advantage of fresh new greens, reminding us that the chance to start fresh always comes around. Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions and comments, and I encourage you to come in for a Food as Medicine Consultation (I can also do this over the phone if you live outside the bay area). I am so enjoying talking with people about food and nourishment, and have been getting wonderful feedback about how my recommendations and recipes have helped patients become their own everyday healer. There are so many options for renewal. Call me to explore more!

Roasted Roots
Cauliflower and brussel sprouts work well on their own, or a mixture of sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, with parsnips, turnips and/or winter squash. Chop vegetables, lightly sprinkle with olive oil, cover in sea salt and a little pepper, roast at 450 degrees until brown/crispy on the edges

Best Collards Ever
1 bunch collard greens
1 large shallot (2 regular)
2 cloves garlic
paprika (1 Tbsp)
vanilla (1 tsp)
coconut oil, sesame oil (tbsp or so each)
2 pieces bacon (from non-feedlot pigs of course)
sea salt, pepper (heavy dash)
red pepper flakes (small dash)
broth (cup, can substitute water)

Wash, de-stem and chop greens into 1-inch or so pieces. Dice shallots and press (or finely chop) garlic. Cook bacon to crisp, adding some paprika during cooking.
Cook onions in fat until soft, add garlic less than a minute, then add greens, cook on med-high for a few minutes. Gradually add broth, oils, and vanilla as you cook greens on med-low with lid on (keep adding broth as it cooks off). When they are almost soft, add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add chopped bacon & serve with fresh squeezed lemon.

Arugula Salad
Toss arugula, sliced strawberries, freshly ground pepper, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar together for an easy, delicious salad

While the Veil is Thin

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:11:56 +0100

In this post I'm offering some reflection on this time of year, a revision on the latest announcements, a few articles I've found of interest recently, and a nourishing seasonal soup recipe.

I wrote in the last post about this Tiger year pounce-time. It is also now time in the cycle of seasons to leave the yang outwardness of summer behind, watch the harvest wind down, and come inward to begin winter yin cultivation. The pounce was easier to feel in the bay area last week when the temperature was in the upper 80's. Now that the rains have come and leaves in the east bay are turning brown and red, the call inward is more obvious. It has been said that during this time of year, around Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, the "veil is thin." As with any pivot, whether seasonal or personal, this means there is opportunity; the chance to welcome death, to leave behind all that is no longer needed, and begin storing qi, as a strong foundation for the next cycle.

My allegiance is first and foremost to these natural cycles, as difficult as that can be when exciting ideas happen, and in a culture of "constant summer" as one teacher has said; the false ideal of unlimited growth, and obsessive striving for progress. In order to uphold the former and let pass the latter, I'm holding off on the Community Clinic at Fourfold. I am still there for personal treatments, and will be available in Oakland starting in November. I will also be giving a talk Monday, November 8th on Gut Health, see here for details.

As many of you know, during these personal treatments, we often spend time talking about food, and specifically about common (perhaps rampant) misconceptions about what is "good for you." I am constantly impressed by both data and direct experience of the benefits of soup broth and fats. This article is one of my favorites on broth, and includes recipes. If I were to name one life-elixir, broth might be it. Regarding fats, there is so much to say regarding myths in this area. Stay tuned if you are interested, I may be giving a talk about this in the near future. In the meantime, many thanks to a patient for sending me this article illustrating the health of Inuits and their almost exclusively fat-rich diet.

And finally the fun stuff! This simple delicata squash puree is easy to digest, immune-supportive, and most importantly, delicious. Cut 4 delicata squash down the middle lengthwise, scoop out seeds/pith, chop into 1-inch or so pieces, toss with a small spoonful coconut oil and a dash of sea salt, lay them out on a cookie sheet, and bake 30-45 minutes, until soft and slightly browned. Put in a large saucepan, add 4-5 cups broth, heavy dash of cinnamon, turmeric and sea salt, teaspoon or two coconut oil, and a teaspoon or two black strap molasses, then use a hand blender to puree. Enjoy on a rainy evening!

Tiger Autumn; Time to Pounce!

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:37:06 +0100

Chinese Astrologers have been following how time, nature, and humans engage and affect one another for several thousand years. They noticed time and space seemed to play out in a 60-year rhythm; certain patterns occurring every 12 years, times the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). Metaphorical as they were, they named each cycle after an animal that represented the quality of that year's qi. So we arrive this year at the Yang Metal Tiger. There is a lot to say about this fierce and unpredictable year, but since we are all experiencing it, I'll mention it now only as a context for the following announcements. According to one Taoist teacher, most of this year it was advisable to "crouch in the tall grass"; to wait out our impulsive tendencies. But with the arrival of autumn, its time to pounce; move with all that might be shifting and changing, and embrace it, swift as it may be. Let the crispy winds of change "clear you out for some new delight" as Rumi would say.
So on that note, the first of my two tiger stripes is the opportunity to see patients in the east bay. Kirstin Lindquist has invited me to join Energy Matters, her beautiful new clinic on Piedmont Avenue. In addition to one-on-one patient care, we will be holding classes, talks, and events from the ancient (qi gong, food as medicine) to the modern (environmental toxicity, health myths).
The other stripe is that I will be hosting a Community Clinic at Fourfold! Community is the heart and soul of Chinese Medicine, and as I've written previously, the foundation of true health. The community model means that several people will lie comfortably in reclining chairs, receiving a treatment with mostly auricular points (tiny needles on the ears) combined with "distal points" (below knees and elbows and considered the most effective on the body). The charge will be only $20-40 sliding scale, so people are able to receive regular treatment. I believe this model will be particularly effective during a time when many are feeling the stress and isolation of financial difficulty.
I will provide details on the schedule of these two opportunities soon, but don't hesitate to call or email with any questions. In the meantime, enjoy the fall harvest before it blows on by, and come talk to me more about how your stripes have been shifting!

Now in Oakland!

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:42:14 +0100

I am thrilled to announce my arrival at Energy Matters Acupuncture & Qi Gong on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. As of October, I will be joining a dedicated group of Chinese Medical Practitioners in a beautiful new office. Call 510-597-9923 to book an appointment with me, and please spread the word to your east bay friends!

Spring Cleaning; the Controversy of Cleanse

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:02:40 +0100

    As days of rain part for stretches of sunshine, and farmers' markets brim with chirpy baby greens and strawberries, its clear spring has blown in. According to Chinese Medicine, spring is related to the "liver." This means smooth movement of everything from emotions to digestion, the body's ability to discern what stays and what goes, and imbalances you may notice this time of year such as allergies. So this is a good time to address the question I often get, "what do you think about cleansing?"
   Generally, my first response echoes a Taoist teacher's voice in my memory proclaiming "extremism!" Many popular current trends urging us to cleanse are clever marketing tools that successfully manipulate a pervasive Victorian idea we Americans love, that we are fundamentally "unclean." This is similar to the current misrepresentation of germ theory, which ignores the equally important factor of internal environment, with an over-focus on fear of invaders (I'll digress from political parallels). The assumption that we must force the body to purge itself of evil disregards the genius this body already employs every second of each day, by taking what it needs and discarding the rest, with or without our help and/or knowledge. It also assumes a dualism of bad/good, that these are completely separate. In the Taoist view, everything is qi, so by purging, we get rid of the good with the bad. Inevitably, this creates a pendulum effect; this intelligent organism reacts to being "cleansed" by holding on tighter to brace for what might be coming again. In other words, purging is often followed by congestion, the very thing the cleanse was attempting to address. A similar example is the epidemic of overweight/undernourished bodies suffering in our culture; when presented with nutrient-deficient products (masquerading as food) and nothing to burn, the body in its wisdom holds on to all the energy source it can.
   All that said, there is also time for everything in the seasonal cycle of life, and our job in natural medicine is to support this process. Spring is time for renewal, starting over, and cleaning the slate. Throughout history, spring was naturally time for cleansing, because of the scarcity of food; as storage of last fall's harvest is thinning, plants shooting up are scarce and small, and animals (us included) are just beginning to tap into the energy stored during winter's hibernation. Like a pea shoot pushing up or a baby goat finding its first legs, the qi of spring is new, and delicate.
   Also, the environment and our bodies are certainly less subtle and rhythmic than they were for much of history. Thousands of chemicals have been introduced in the last 50 years, with little study and/or regulation. For instance, the FDA still doesn't regulate cosmetic products (so you might find this site helpful: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/). Recently, I came across the following interview that was compelling for two main reasons ( http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/nature/interviews/vomsaal.html). First, that there is such a clear link between plastics and endocrine disruption (particularly when endocrine disorders such as thyroid dysfunction are rampant). Secondly, that this article is twelve years old; we know what hurts us, but continue to mass-produce, and blame disease solely on genetics. Of course looking at examples in a bigger picture such as how some get sick and others don't, we know there are multiple factors, like the main one we address at our clinic; the state of the gut flora. But we can't deny that an overload of chemicals known and unknown on our unprepared bodies is likely at a level unprecedented in history. So, how to look at this evidence not with fear, but with respect both for the cycle of changes in which we find our current situation, and the delicate nature of our spring qi?
   The first and simplest way to cleanse is to notice what is not in line with our natural, easy state of being, and remove it. For instance, "I can't work through the afternoon without a sugary snack," or "I can't relax without a glass of wine." This can be tricky at first, because as members of modern life, most of us have subjected ourselves to everything from artificial light to caffeine to supplements, to replace our inherent ability to perfectly cycle with natural movements of sleep, wake, work, enjoy. So if life doesn't currently allow time and space for noticing, the next option would be to remove what is stimulating/sedating; take out caffeine, sugar, and alcohol for a few weeks. To further support the liver, eat organic produce and grass-fed/pastured animal products. We are especially lucky in California, because we can be directly in touch with nature's wisdom; spring greens available at markets, such as mustard, dandelion and arugula are bitter--stimulating bile--thus draining, the perfect cleansers. One can add starting the day with half a lemon squeezed into a glass of water, which encourages the liver to flush. Lastly, acupuncture and herbal medicine assist this cleansing process. There are particular point prescriptions designed for "detoxification," and a plethora of herbs that can be tailored in your specific formula to gently flush the system. Standard Process's Cleanse in capsules is a nice option that combines western herbs and food powders to provide a harmonious "spring cleaning."
   Ideally, our lifestyle year-around provides a light load for the liver, enabling it to "clean" on a regular basis. However, since life is multifaceted, with some components more toxic than others, spring is a perfect time to tap into our natural cycle and start fresh.
   Enjoy all the potential and possibility sprouting up, and please call or email with questions, or to set up an appointment for some cleansing support!

What is Medicine?

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 01:58:55 +0100

I'd like to fertilize this soon-to-be-garden of health education with an article about what I do. As one season moves into the next, I look forward to cultivating it with useful and interesting information. Please enjoy, and don't hesitate to call or email with any questions, comments, or seeds of your own that you might like to scatter.

Chinese Medicine found me as a result of seeking treatment for myself. A beloved education in Anthropology led me to travel and become interested in nature, medicine, and what cultures other than our own have been up to around the world. Then, I ended up with some unresolved pain that doctors couldn’t seem to diagnose or treat. It stopped me from running around, and forced me to look deeper, not only into how I was functioning, but also into other perspectives of life and healing. During a month-long self-imposed retreat on a lake in Iowa, I read about and cooked with Ayurvedic medicine. Back in San Francisco, I received Acupuncture treatments and took herbs. An interest in energy got sparked, and I took a Physics class. I realized the Chinese had been experimenting with energy systematically for longer than anyone else, and so it seemed the most natural next step was to go to Chinese Medical School. I felt at home right away, and continue to feel this life's work is exactly what I'm meant to do. It seems the medicine came along and said “you’re coming with me,” and I’m quite grateful!

     Since Chinese Medicine is traditionally learned through apprenticeship, I sought the guidance of mentors whenever possible. During school, I was fortunate to be introduced to one named Dr. Tom Cowan. He held some classes in his living room for a few of us, and shared his experience and perspective. At the time, I was greatly influenced by a good friend and classmate who had been cooking and eating according to Weston Price principles for many years. This all began to beautifully parallel much of the philosophical and nutritional concepts of Chinese Medicine. So when the opportunity arose to join Tom's practice at The Fourfold Healing Clinic upon finishing school, I was so excited.

    I continue to enjoy exploring health and healing at this unique clinic. We have been experimenting with the best way to take good care of patients, and one attempt has been to add my services to the Community Supported Healthcare Plan. Along with this, we’ve been talking about the idea of community health and what exactly that means. To me, it is the idea that illness is not an isolated incident, nor does it happen in a vacuum. Rather, it is part of a much larger context of cause and effect patterns. As we have seen in the world particularly as of late, symptoms--whether cultural, economic, or physiological--are part of a larger system. Nature provides the best teacher of such symbiosis; it is the ultimate example of community.

    And this is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. For thousands of years, practitioners have been looking to nature to learn how elements and systems function. Without modern distractions such as media, or the advantage of current medical tools (such as imaging or blood tests), the Chinese utilized our most powerful human tools of observation and analysis. Acting as the first scientists in this way, they felt the pulse, looked at the tongue, and developed a sophisticated system of diagnosis, using metaphors based in nature to describe patterns of health and illness. They took hundreds of herbs over hundreds of years and noticed the specifics of their effects. They developed Acupuncture; the insertion of fine needles at various points on the body that are part of a specific point prescription to treat an organism’s carefully diagnosed imbalance. And lucky for us, they recorded most of this.

    As a lifetime student of this complex medicine and its wise worldview, I consistently enjoy utilizing its tools of Acupuncture and herbal medicine to help patients feel better. However, a major part of community health that I'm learning from Chinese Medicine’s Taoist roots is that the practitioner’s job has nothing to do with “bestowing health” upon a patient. Rather, I am a partner in the patient’s journey of what can be thought of as “unlearning.” Together, we peel back layers of conditioning (physical, mental, and/or emotional), to facilitate a person’s intelligence to come forward. By intelligence, I mean an innate knowing, or how the body and soul understand how to be healthy.

    As an example of how this works, I think of one of my teachers saying, “Give them feet,” and I’ll explain what he means. All traditional healing systems place great emphasis on digestion; help the patient digest and you improve assimilation. Many patients at our clinic have experienced this with efforts to heal the gut with GAPS, among other things. But assimilation here means much more than just digesting food and getting nutrients. It is how life is taken in, processed, and transformed into energy. So if I can help a patient digest, assimilate life, I help to put his feet on the ground. I help him strengthen his ability to discriminate, to trust his inner logic, and to make decisions based on his natural “appetite,” rather than logic outside himself.

     Another story comes to mind as an example of how healing is community by nature, and its related to the idea of “nailing one foot to the ground.” We all probably have a sense of the importance of routine, particularly if we spend any time with the elderly or infants; they thrive on rhythm and regularity. I often instruct patients to start with eating the same breakfast around the same time every morning, or in some cases, just eating breakfast. This may sound simplistic, but a survey conducted at a school of Chinese Medicine illustrates the power of this concept. Essentially, Hispanic patients who ate a daily staple of beans, rice and corn were compared to more Euro-American patients who did not have a daily staple, and the Hispanic patients responded to Acupuncture and herbal medicine much more quickly and successfully.

    Guided by this philosophy of creating stability and facilitating trust in a person’s innate wisdom, my treatments consist of three basic elements. The first is talking with patients about their life. I listen to their experience, and encourage them to help me understand what they most need. We talk about how the little things we do every day are powerful in the long run; like drops in a bucket, what we add slowly but surely over a lifetime will determine the bucket of health we carry around. Along these lines, recommendations such as drinking bone broth, doing abdominal massage, resting in the afternoon, and abiding by the seasons are discussed. How to nourish oneself is a guiding principle. And since healing through food is a cornerstone of treatment at our clinic, I help patients understand how to do this.

    The second element of treatment is Acupuncture. From a Western Medical viewpoint, it essentially encourages the release of endorphins, which supports the all-important immune system. The Chinese Medical perspective can also put it simply; Acupuncture either moves that which is stuck, encourages the body to slow down hyper-functioning, fires up that which is in a pattern of hypo-function, or in most cases, a bit of each. For the patient, this means lying down and having around 3-8 needles inserted, resting (often sleeping) for 30-40 minutes, then waking feeling very relaxed. Many patients describe the post-acupuncture feeling as both calm and energized at the same time.

    The third element of treatment is herbal prescription. The Chinese Medical Pharmacopoeia consists of around 400 herbs, which are combined specifically for the patient’s constitution, symptoms, and how each herb compliments another. I use Spring Wind Dispensary, an herbal pharmacy where I once worked, because I trust the safety and sustainability of their products.

    Treatment might consist of any or all of these three elements, depending on the person. The idea is always to be assisting a patient with calibrating to the seasons (meaning rhythm of time cycles more than weather) through eating, resting, and taking herbs, so imbalance or disease will pass through, rather than becoming chronic. In some cases, regular Acupuncture helps set up people’s bodies to better accept Dr. Cowan’s treatment protocols. In others, well-timed treatments address specific pathologies such as menstrual difficulties or an injury. Some focus on the counseling aspect, and others work on a deeper level to help the body let go of past or current issues that are difficult to access mentally and/or emotionally.

      I’d like to share a brief glimpse into a treatment story of a mom and her daughter, because it felt to both them and me like a successful example of how this all can work. I treated an adolescent girl for acne, irregular menstrual cycle, fevers, and digestive distress. In addition to receiving Acupuncture treatments and taking herbs, she and her mother spent time talking with me about food, and learning the importance of healing the gut. After completing a course of treatment, her acne improved, fevers stopped, menstrual cycle regulated, and she is learning to adjust her eating to heal the root of the issue, her gastrointestinal tract.

    Then, her mother came in one day asking if Acupuncture might help with grief over the recent death of her brother. She didn’t want to get rid of the grief, and felt she had much support from family, therapy, and her generally healthy life. But she felt the intense presence of her deceased brother in her dreams, and many other overwhelming physical symptoms. As you can imagine, she was exhausted and unable to concentrate. She also had ongoing menopausal discomfort in the form of hot flashes and restless sleep. After the first session, she reported feeling a new and necessary distance from her brother. After another session, she felt she was able to say goodbye and let go with much more ease. Several weeks later, she was happy to report that after some dietary changes and beginning a regular Qi Gong practice, her hot flashes were not happening and she was sleeping through the night. I see both of them periodically, as health-maintenance, and to address whatever might come up.

      I hope my story, general explanation of Chinese Medicine, and examples have been interesting and even useful. I’d like to think I’m addressing a good question I often get, “does Acupuncture work?” My answer is that it’s not magic, its medicine. Back to the idea of what community health means, it’s just this; rather than isolating a person and her symptom, instead let’s consider a broader picture of health. In China, when someone was sick, everyone in the family would take the herbs and drink the rice porridge, even when the ill person could not. This is the spirit I hope to foster in my practice, and I welcome you to take a seat at the table.