I recently came across this recipe on YogaPeach.com as I was looking for some new food options as we enter the warmer months.

• Small bunch of kale, approx 1 cups, remove stems (super food)
• Handful of frozen or fresh mixed berries, approximately 1/2 cup (I like just one berry per smoothie, blueberries or raspberries)
• 1 ripe banana
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup almond milk or water
• 1/2 TBSP Vanilla
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (super food)

Directions: Wash and chop the kale, removing any hard stalks. Put into blender. Add ingredients and blend.

Chinese Medicine traditionally places emphasis on mindful eating, and the properties of the foods we eat as the seasons change. The principle behind seasonal eating is to balance the external climate with our internal one, which is achieved by maintaining a healthy spleen and stomach function. In order to successfully do this, we must ultimately balance the proper amount of yin and yang with each meal.

The focal point in the spring and summer is that we generally seek foods that are colder in nature to help us cool off from the heat. At this time of year fresh fruits, salads, and lighter foods are appealing. Why is this? Foods that are cooler generally tend to cool the body by directing qi inward and downward. Colder foods are great for heat patterns but too much cold can be difficult to digest, slowing down the metabolic process, weakening yang and generating stagnation. As we all know, there is no single food or diet that is appropriate for any single person. So before you make this smoothie, talk to your practitioner, and make sure that consuming cold foods is appropriate for your constitution.

For your interest, I have included some of the beneficial properties of the foods included in the smoothie:

Kale – both cooling and warming. It strengthens the stomach, stops pain, and eases lung congestion. It is considered a cruciferous superfood and is one of the highest antioxidant power leafy greens. It contains the following: sulfophanes- a cancer fighting compound, vitamin k- to protect the heart, stop clotting, and encourage strong bones by anchoring calcium, and beta-carotene.
Banana – sweet, cool, and astringent. It benefits the stomach, and increases fluids in the intestines and body, and moistens dryness. It helps with constipation, dryness in the lungs, and helps to alleviate a cough.
Blueberries – a part of the Vaccinum Species providing antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. They have help alleviate many conditions primarily age related ones.
Strawberries – sweet, sour, and cooling. It helps to moisten the lungs for dry sore throats and difficulty with urination.
Lemon – sour, astringent, cooling. It benefits the stomach and liver, helping to alleviate nausea, increased thirst, morning sickness, and indigestion.
Cinnamon – warming. It improves energy and circulation. In Chinese Medicine it helps to fight colds, improves digestion and ameliorates diarrhea and painful menstruation. In Arvada medicine, it not only fights colds and aids in digestion, but also helps in managing diabetes. Western Medicine has seen a link between Cinnamon in reducing blood glucose and triglycerides.

Enjoy!!!

It’s that time of the year again. Itchy, red eyes. Stuffy, runny nose. The sneezing, the congestion…

Allergies are here, and it seems this year they came back swinging harder than ever. Up to 25% of the population suffers from seasonal allergies, which is a whole lot of sniffles. There are so many options for treating seasonal allergies, but most Western medications end up drying out the system, leaving behind a raw feeling that’s not much better than an actual allergy attack itself. Traditional Chinese Medicine can offer an alternative solution.

TCM differs from Western Medicine in that the former believes that allergies occur when our bodies are out of balance, leaving the Wei, or Protective Qi, weak and susceptible. This leaves room for wind to come in, which brings in damp and heat along for the ride. A classic damp symptom would be the runny nose and congestion, and a typical heat symptom are those infamous red and itchy eyes. The idea then, is to use acupuncture and herbs to boost the Wei, so that it can act as a buffer and not let that troublesome wind into the body, restoring balance to our overall system.

Another aspect of Chinese Medicine is the focus on diet and herbs. Certain foods can easily be added to your daily diet to boost the immune system, therefore benefiting the Protective Qi that needs to be at its most alert for defending the body against pathogens. Foods that are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, beta-carotene, and quercetin are all helpful and easy to find in a variety of foods at your local supermarket. Ginger, avocado, spinach, cabbage, kiwi, and quinoa are just a few examples of the many foods that have these benefits and can help the body defend itself. These foods have antihistamine effects, open up the breathing airways and help to raise our immunities. It is also important to look at the temperatures of foods, and seek out ingredients that are cooling when under an allergy attack. Watermelon, radishes, and cucumbers all have a cooling effect on our system, and naturally combat the heat that can bring on the discomfort of red, itchy eyes.

If you’re a long-time allergy sufferer who is tired of the unpleasant side effects of the usual treatment options, acupuncture and dietary therapy can provide a welcome relief. So stop dreading the sight of the first robin of spring and find a TCM program that is right for you.

Allergy sufferers are out for a difficult season. Check out what Fox 5 News has to say about this allergy season. Click Here to Read More.

I came across a great recipe for a roasted sweet potato, mango, and edamame salad on YogaPeach.com. Since spring is rapidly arriving, I thought a light and clean nutritious salad would be fun to pass along and experiment with. The recipe offers a good mix of sweet and sour.

In Chinese Medicine, food is thought to provide a way of nourishing our internal organs while also alleviating a variety of conditions. In order to get the best quality energy from the foods we eat, they should be just as vibrant and appealing to the eye as the palate. Since the majority of us crave sweet flavors, yams are a good option to satisfy our tastebuds — instead of reaching for that cupcake! In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), a yam also strengthens the energy (qi) of the spleen.

Mango is both sweet and sour, which helps to nourish the fluids of the stomach to help alleviate indigestion, thirst, and nausea. Edamame, or soybeans, benefit both the spleen and kidneys, making them great options for your diet if you suffer from abdominal distention, swelling in the body, or have diabetes. Lemons, which are sour, benefit your liver and stomach. They help to remedy so many conditions and are a particularly good addition to any meal if you suffer from uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms. Lastly, rice vinegar, which is both sour and bitter, will help to improve digestion and achy joints — especially painful in the damp weather — and is a great remedy to food poisoning.

Ingredients
o 4 small Sweet Potatoes
o 1 large Mango
o 1/2 cup shelled Edamame
o 2 Tbs. plus 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
o Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper
o Juice of 1 Lemon
o 2 Tbs. Honey
o 1 Tbs. Rice Vinegar
o Small handful of finely chopped Cilantro<

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. Rinse & scrub the sweet potatoes well and pat dry. Cut into 1 1/2” cubes and place in a bowl. Add the 2 Tbs. olive oil and a generous dash of salt & pepper and toss until well coated. Spread the sweet potatoes onto a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast for about 15 minutes or until tender.
3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, prepare the dressing by combining the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, rice vinegar, and cilantro, and whisk together well. Set aside.
4. Peel & cut the mango into 1” cubes, and if you’re using frozen, whole edamame, thaw & shell it so you have the individual beans at your disposal.
5. When the potatoes are done roasting, allow them to cool for a few minutes. Combine the potatoes, mango, and edamame in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top & toss lightly.
6. Serve on a bed of greens or on its own, and enjoy!

How many times have you been wondering or asked the question, can acupuncture help with weight loss?

We now have some recent research that provides an answer, out of the University of Hong Kong in China and The Prince of Wales Hospital. This article, “Acupuncture and Herbs of Weight loss,” describes the use of Chinese Medicine and acupuncture as more effective then placebo and life-style modifications in reducing body weight. Additionally, acupuncture can provide an alternative to the unfavorable side effects that some Western obesity drugs may cause.

Read the full article here.

It seems like every time hear or read about acupuncture on television or in newspapers lately, it is mentioned simultaneously with pregnancy and infertility. But does acupuncture really help women become pregnant?

I thought I’d share this article, “The Ancient Art of Infertility Treatment,’ by Colette Bouchez and reviewed by Dr. Nazario on Web MD, as I thought it was very interesting. As you will see, the article outlines many ways in which acupuncture rebalances the proper flow of qi (energy) and blood flow in the body, which can be beneficial in helping to restore the body’s normal function. The benefits can be endless for a woman and include the creation of an internal environment allowing reproductive treatments to work, stimulating egg production and increasing blood flow to the lining of the uterus, helping to sustain pregnancy.

Read more here.

Recently, there was a great article featured in the New York Times regarding the safety
of using acupuncture to treat children. The article discusses two of the latest studies, one in “The Journal of Pediatrics,” and the other conducted by the University of Alberta in Canada, both reporting minimal side effects and overall safety. Acupuncture is a widely accepted treatment alternative for adults and is growing in popularity amongst kids — in fact, as of 2007, a reported “150,000 children underwent acupuncture.” Is acupuncture right for your child? Read More here and decide!

On Valentine’s Day, 2/14/12, Fox News featured a segment on “Drug free pain relief for Osteoarthritis (OA,)” written by Dr. David Samadi. As you will see, the article describes OA as a Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) in which joint cartilage erodes by excess wear, tear and stressors. While there isn’t a clear-cut treatment option, quality of life changes such as weight loss and over-the-counter medications for pain relief are the mainstays of symptom relief. The American College of Rheumatology and Dr. Samadi both advocate acupuncture as an alternative to pain relief in the treatment of OA.

Click Here to Read the Article

I thought I’d pass along an interesting web page from Science Daily that featured an article last week entitled, “PCOS and the Benefits of Acupuncture and Exercise.” Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormonal imbalance of estrogen, progesterone and androgens in women of reproductive age. As a result of this imbalance, the menstrual cycle is often absent or irregular.

PCOS can lead to other uncomfortable symptoms as well, including the formation of ovarian cysts, acne, infertility and the occurrence of male sexual characteristics. Traditional treatment of the condition, from a Western Perspective, often utilizes medications such as the birth control pill, a Glucophage like Metformin, and androgen replacement therapy. As you will see from this article, acupuncture and exercise offer an alternative to medication.

As an acupuncturist, much of my life revolves around Qi. I spend my days moving it, boosting it, and sending it in the right direction to resolve a variety of issues that occur within the human body. But what is it?

Loosely translated, it’s the “life force” that exists within all of us. If we think of our bodies as a system of rivers and streams, it is the force that flows in and around our skin, muscles, and organs. It is the power behind our digestion, how we sleep, and even how we may interact with others. And in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is the alpha and omega of all we do.

There are essentially two types of Qi in our bodies: the kind we inherit and are born with, and the kind that we can cultivate here on Earth. I’ll give you the bad news first: the “pre-natal” Qi that we are born with cannot be replenished and we are basically at the mercy of what we were given. The good news is that we can do all we can to conserve what we have and make the most of it. The moral of that story is this: You’ve already been dealt a hand. Play it wisely. And if you are looking for more inspiration, Kenny Rogers has some additional advice. As for the “post-natal” Qi, or the kind that we can cultivate leaves us with the most control. And that’s a good thing. If we choose to eat healthy, exercise, and manage our stress, we can make a huge difference in keeping that “life force” bountiful and flowing. I particularly like this quote, and I think it applies to just about everything, including our precious Qi.

During all of our lives, no matter how healthy we may be, there will be times where our Qi needs a little extra TLC. It can get depleted, it can get stuck, it can go up when we want it to go down. Luckily, with the help of acupuncture, Qi is easily coaxed back into behaving properly. That said, we still need to eat, sleep, and conduct ourselves as if our Qi depends on it. It pretty much does.