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Healthy Foods for Fall
The season of fall brings cooler weather and shorter days. As with any season, the world adjusts accordingly. Plants begin to go dormant, animals begin scrounging for food to store to get them through the upcoming winter months and humans start winterizing everything.
As fall descends on the land, it reminds us we need to start cutting back on the numerous cooling foods that are consumed during the summer months. Things like raw foods, salads, juices and fruits should be decreased because they can create too much cold in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine. continue reading
5 Self Care Tips for Fall
Fall is a favorite season for many people. The weather starts getting a little cooler, things are beginning to slow down and preparations for the holidays are in full swing. For many others, fall is not so festive. Many people get sick during the fall months, allergies can flare up for some, and many don’t like the steady decrease in hours of sunlight, sometimes leading to seasonal depression. Here are some tips on how to get through the season without incident.
1. Wear a scarf.
The large intestine channel runs up the arms, across the shoulders, up the neck, over the face and ends next to the nose. As many people now know, the health of our gastrointestinal tract plays a big part in our immunity, so keeping the large intestine channel warm and preventing exposure from the elements will help keep you healthy. Cold pathogens can enter the body through the pores or nasal cavity, but wrapping the neck and shoulders with a scarf can help ward them off. Scarves don’t have to be thick or heavy, but they should cover the neck.
2. Eat according to the season
Eating foods readily available during the autumn months and foods that boost the energy of the lung and large intestine meridians is a great way to keep the organs associated with fall – the lung and large intestine – in balance. In the fall, you should eat fewer cold and raw foods like salads and instead eat more warm and cooked foods. Foods to enjoy during the fall months include apples, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, pears, yams, bananas, cabbage, carrots, cranberries, ginger, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and wild rice. Hot herbal teas are another good addition to your daily diet, especially those containing ginger and lemon, which act as natural antibiotics.
3. Stay hydrated
The large intestine and the lungs need to stay moist to function properly, so drinking lots of water is important during the fall. Without proper hydration, the skin, which is controlled by the lung meridian, can become dry and cracked, allowing pathogens to easily enter the body. The large intestine meridian also needs proper hydration in order to expel any pathogens that do get into the system.
4. Let it go (literally and metaphorically)
Fall is the season of letting go. Just as the trees let go of brightly colored leaves, you too should let go of whatever is bogging you down. This can include physical items like clothing, as well as items that are clogging up your mental closet, like unresolved emotions. Letting go of attachments can make way for growth and regeneration to occur in the spring.
5. Get acupuncture!
As the fall months approach, it is a good idea to increase your regular acupuncture treatments. There are many acupuncture points that help boost immunity, fight off colds, help with releasing emotions and improve digestion. Why not utilize the natural power we have to offer? By doing so, you might just survive the fall without ever getting sick and be better prepared for the upcoming months and seasons that follow.
Five Reasons to Get Acupuncture for Low Back Pain
Statistics show eight out of 10 people will experience low back pain at some point during their life. Seeking medical treatment for back pain is very common. Typically back pain is fleeting and can be easily resolved with rest, heat and an occasional anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen. However, once the damage is done, the recurrence of back pain can be as high as 50 percent. Part of this is because as we age, things like muscles and tendons become less flexible and pliable. It is also very well known in the United States, people are too sedentary and this leads to excess weight gain that can create added pressure on the body, especially the low back. continue reading
Healing With Ginseng
BOOST IT WITH GINSENG
Ginseng is said to resemble a human body in shape, and it has been used for years in Asia. Recently, it has become a popular item in Western culture. Many claims about this root have been advertised, such as its reputation for extending longevity and its use for stamina and endurance. Let’s look at the types of ginseng and the differences.
There are three main types of ginseng used:
Panax Oriental Ginseng:
This ginseng is stronger than American ginseng. It is used as a general tonic, immune booster, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer herb and to calm the mind. The taste, which in Chinese medicine indicates the organ it benefits, is sweet, slightly bitter and warm. This benefits the heart, spleen and lungs. As it is calming, it also helps relieve heart palpitations and insomnia. A main function in Chinese medicine is that this root generates fluids and quenches thirst in heat conditions. Ren shen benefits the “Original Qi,” hereditary energy we are born with and can help rid exhaustion.
American Ginseng:
American ginseng nourishes the yin of the body, especially in cases of the deficiency of yin. When one is deficient in yin, there are signs of heat in the yang that has become more exuberant. This ginseng root also helps fire excess, or exuberance of yang, because it generates fluids and helps dryness, heat, thirst and fever. Its taste properties are bitter and slightly cold.
Siberian Ginseng:
Siberian ginseng is not in the same category as the previous types mentioned. It is a weed, cheaper, and is used in Chinese medicine to help arthritis due to its benefit of dispelling cold and damp from the body, otherwise known as cold bi syndrome.
It is best to see a Chinese medical specialist or another qualified health care practitioner to get ginseng in a formula appropriate for your particular constitution, as ginseng can have serious side effects such as heart palpitations, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, high blood pressure and anxiety. Those with excess yang energy should not take ginseng. There are also possible drug interactions with ACE inhibitors, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, diabetes medications, stimulants and antidepressants. Ginseng is best used as a preventative tonic rather than a medicine, as it can prevent a pathogen from leaving the body’s “comfortable house”. Your Chinese medical specialist can assess which herb is right for you and how to include it in a formula. It is not advisable to self-diagnose and take new herbs that may harm your health.
North Carolina has alot of wild ginseng so you can harvest it your self!!
5 GREEN CLEANING RECIPES
The biggest reason to start making your own is because of all the toxins that store-bought supplies have. There are, of course, products that are toxin-free- but many of them are a bit pricey, so there’s another good reason to do-it-yourself.
LEMON-is high-ranked—and not just with green cleaning. Look at all the products on the market that are lemon fresh. It’s antibacterial, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and antiseptic. It’s great for grease and grime.
TEA TREE– Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-viral, and insecticide. Tea tree is a good choice for heavy-duty cleaning, even garages. Works well as a disinfectant spray, too.
LAVENDER– Antibacterial, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, insecticide and smells oh, so good.
PEPPERMINT– Its anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties make it a good choice to add to your DIY cleaning solution.
EUCALYPTUS– Antiseptic and antimicrobial—great choice whether you’re cleaning the floor, bathroom, or mirrors.
*You need a few other things to make your cleaning products: Baking soda, spray bottle, white vinegar, Castile soap, dishwashing soap, hydrogen peroxide
SINK SCRUB: Sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of the essential oil of your choice in your sink. Pour a little vinegar over it and let it bubble for a few minutes before scrubbing. This is also a great mixture to keep your drains unclogged.
TUB SCRUB: Combine ¾ cup baking soda with ¼ cup of Castile Soap in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and 15 drops of tea tree essential oil. Stir until you get a pasty consistency. If you need to, add a little more baking soda.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER– In a spray bottle, combine 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of distilled or purified water, 15 drops of lemon essential oil and 10 drops of tea tree.
MIRROR CLEANER– In a spray bottle, mix 2/3 cup of white vinegar, 1 1/3 cups of distilled or purified water, and 5 drops of your choice of essential oil—lemon and lavender are great in this recipe. Shake and spray.
TOILET SCRUB– Mix together 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup liquid dishwashing soap, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 3/4 cup of distilled or purified water, and 30 drops eucalyptus essential oil. Put into a squeeze bottle or other container. Use it to scrub the toilet and then leave it for about 15 minutes.
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