Aetiology
There are many causes of constipation:
- overeating
- irregular eating times
- weaning the child too early
- stress
- not drinking enough water
- eating ice-cold foods
- drinking ice-cold drinks
Treatment of Constipation
- regular meal times without snacks
- avoiding frozen foods like ice-cream
- drinking room temperature water instead of chilled water
- reduce cold-energy foods
- eat more foods that are easy to digest and lubricate the intestines
Foods to Lubricate the Intestines (avoid if bowels are loose or poorly formed)
- bananas
- nuts and seeds
- prune juice
- fig syrup
- apples, pears, oranges, plums, cucumber, mung beans, tomatoes,
Foods to Avoid
- ice-cream, frozen yoghurt, icy poles (except very hot days 35 degrees +)
- reduce the amount of high protein foods (eggs, meat) that exacerbate constipation
- spices, fried or grilled foods, fatty and rich foods
Friday, October 21, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Pregnancy Pack - Buy this pack for the ones you love
Healthy Labour and post labour
This pack is designed to treat both the mother and her baby.
1. Labour tincture – Made with herbs to promote energy and blood. This tincture is used during labour to help the mothers endurance and to promote the labours onset. The labour tincture is designed to sipped throughout labour.
2. Blood tonic drops – Is used by the mother to boost blood and energy after labour. A lot of blood is lost after labour, and this blood needs to be replenished to increase breast milk, boost energy and prevent post natal depression. There are also herbs that help clear out the uterus of old blood and prevent infection. Please take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day in water for at least 3 weeks after birth.
3. Ultra Flora restore – Boosts healthy flora (friendly bacteria) in the intestines. Babies receive their positive intestinal bacteria via their mother’s breast milk. A positive bacterium maintains a normal healthy gastrointestinal system and digestive function. The intestines are where we absorb our vitamins and minerals, and healthy intestinal flora is crucial for a strong immune system.
To buy this pack contact :
Discover Chinese Medicine
Ground Floor
Suite 3,193A Lennox St,
Richmond, VIC 3121
P 03 9013 1777
E contact@discovertcm.com.au
W http://www.discovertcm.com.au
This pack is designed to treat both the mother and her baby.
1. Labour tincture – Made with herbs to promote energy and blood. This tincture is used during labour to help the mothers endurance and to promote the labours onset. The labour tincture is designed to sipped throughout labour.
2. Blood tonic drops – Is used by the mother to boost blood and energy after labour. A lot of blood is lost after labour, and this blood needs to be replenished to increase breast milk, boost energy and prevent post natal depression. There are also herbs that help clear out the uterus of old blood and prevent infection. Please take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day in water for at least 3 weeks after birth.
3. Ultra Flora restore – Boosts healthy flora (friendly bacteria) in the intestines. Babies receive their positive intestinal bacteria via their mother’s breast milk. A positive bacterium maintains a normal healthy gastrointestinal system and digestive function. The intestines are where we absorb our vitamins and minerals, and healthy intestinal flora is crucial for a strong immune system.
To buy this pack contact :
Discover Chinese Medicine
Ground Floor
Suite 3,193A Lennox St,
Richmond, VIC 3121
P 03 9013 1777
E contact@discovertcm.com.au
W http://www.discovertcm.com.au
IVF & Fertility
Five of the seven rules froma Chinese Medical practitioners perspective:
STAY WARM – An old Chinese saying “You can not cook a bun in a cold oven”
Before and after the transfer, and throughout the pregnancy make sure that your feet are warm. According to Chinese medicine the essence that creates embryos comes from Kidney qi. The kidney meridian starts at the sole of the foot, so if we let the feet get cold then the cold travels up the channel and into the Kidneys, reducing their vitality. This also applies if your trying to conceive and through out your first trimester.
This means no bare feet on cold surfaces! Open toed shoes and wearing light shoes in colder months is also not appropriate. If your toes are cold, then you need to wear sox and appropriate shoes, even if that means wearing shoes rather than sandals in a Melbourne summer.
Before the transfer book in to see your Chinese doctor before the transfer, if this is not possible then take a warmed wheat bag or used a moxa stick on your lower abdomen and lower back before the transfer. Keep your lower abdomen and back warm, but not hot, especially throughout the first trimester. This means wearing clothes that cover your lower back and tummy, ie. tuck in your shirt, wear high waist pants or skirts or wear a home made kidney wrap, made from cloth or wool.
DON’T PUMP ENERGY AWAY FROM THE FETUS
No caffeine, this includes black teas like earl grey, English breakfast, green teas, coke and Pepsi, and of course no coffee! Caffine also reduces the body's absorption of iron. Decaf is full of chemicals so stay away from this also.
There is minimal caffeine in white tea, and no caffeine in herbal teas, so enjoy these teas instead. If you are a heavy coffee drinker wean yourself off coffee over a 2 week period.
Relax. This means mentally and physically. Let go of your worries for today, do not worry about timelines or dead lines, and try to stay away from situations that make your frustrated or anxious.
Practice a light form of yoga, gentle Iyengar or Hatha yoga, and let your instructor know that you are trying to conceive and want to drop your stress levels.
High impact exercise is good in moderation, but not just before a transfer, and not during pregnancy as it raises Cortisol our stress hormone too much.
Good levels of Progesterone is important to hold a fertilized egg within the womb. Progesterone gets converted to Cortisol, so if you are stressed or exercising too much or too hard, then you are more likely to miscarry.
Energy that you expend outwards is energy that could be feeding another life inside of you. Take time to do things that make you relaxed, watch a movie, walk in the park, get a massage, get a facial ect.
GET REGULAR ACUPUNCTURE
In China, acupuncture is often daily for 7 days and then a few days break and then repeated again. Discover Chinese Medicine recommends acupuncture once to twice a week leading into an IVF. Come in for at least 10 treatments before your transfer, and try to fit this in 6 weeks before transfer if possible.
Women having IVF treatment can boost their chances of falling pregnant by 65 per cent simply by having acupuncture.
A review combining the results of seven previous studies has found that acupuncture also increases the chances of having an ongoing pregnancy (beyond 12 weeks from gestation) by 87 per cent - and nearly doubles the chance of a successful live birth, increasing that by 91 per cent. Ref 1
Acupuncture can reduce Cortisol levels, balance hormones, and increase blood flow to the uterus. For more information about how acupuncture can help with fertility and IVF this website has many article links; visit http://www.acupunctureivf.com.au
MINERALS FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY
Folate (folic acid) is very important during this time. So eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables like asparagus, spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, beans, peas, etc. Also, there should be plenty of folic acid in your prenatal vitamin.
Calcium & magnesium citrate should also be in the pre natal vitamin supplement. To obtain good levels of calcium eat fish where the bones are eaten like sardines and consume dairy if possible. Black Beans, Nuts, pumpkin seeds and cooked spinach all contain magnesium.
Taking a supplement of iron is recommend if you iron stores are on the low side. Good sources of iron include: lean beef and lamb, poultry, fish , eggs, chick peas, lentils, kidney and lima beans, green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach
Eating foods high in vitamin C will also help you to absorb iron if you consume them at the same time. Try drinking a glass of water with a quarter lemon when eating green vegetables or legumes.
A pro DHA can help with an “irritable uterus”, and also build good levels of essential fatty acids in your system, essential for baby’s brain and nervous system development.
Eat lots of fresh and organic foods when possible to increase the vitamin and mineral levels n your body.
To aid the Thyroid make sure iodine is part of you prenatal supplement.
HEALTHY THYROID
Undiagnosed, untreated or insufficiently treated thyroid conditions can endanger your pregnancy, increasing the risk of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, pre-term labor, stillbirth, and cognitive problems/mental retardation in your child. Ref 2
Successful Fertility clinics often include thyroid testing as part of a fertility testing. Undiagnosed and untreated thyroid problems can not only impact on fertility but also worsen pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, depression, and morning sickness.
Thyroid stimulating hormone - TSH is released from the pituitary gland, which is responsible via a feed back loop to control the levels of the active thyroid hormones released from the thyroid. If the active thyroid hormones are low then the pituitary asks the thyroid to work harder by releasing more TSH. If TSH is elevated, then this is an indication that you thyroid is underactive.
In America the healthy reference range for the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- TSH is between 0.5 – 2. Australia’s reference range is between 0.5 – 4. This means that even when your TSH levels are at the higher end off ‘so called healthy’ in Australia, American physicians would be treating you. The Australian reference ranger has a larger leeway for underactive thyroids to be called ‘healthy’ thyroids. If you have seen a G.P about your thyroid in the past, and had a thyroid function test that came back within reference range, request to see your results again, if your TSH is above 2, and your not falling pregnant, you may need to boost thyroid function with vitamin, mineral and herbal supplementation before you start trying to conceive again.
References
1. A. Cresswell, ‘Fertility spike from acupuncture’ The Australian , Health editor, February 09, 2008.
2. . M. Shomon ‘ Just When Can You Become Pregnant?’ Based on Information from the NIH, About.com Health's Disease and Condition, 2009. Viewed on the 14/10/11 thyroid.about.com/od/hormonepregnantmenopause1/a/fertility.htm
STAY WARM – An old Chinese saying “You can not cook a bun in a cold oven”
Before and after the transfer, and throughout the pregnancy make sure that your feet are warm. According to Chinese medicine the essence that creates embryos comes from Kidney qi. The kidney meridian starts at the sole of the foot, so if we let the feet get cold then the cold travels up the channel and into the Kidneys, reducing their vitality. This also applies if your trying to conceive and through out your first trimester.
This means no bare feet on cold surfaces! Open toed shoes and wearing light shoes in colder months is also not appropriate. If your toes are cold, then you need to wear sox and appropriate shoes, even if that means wearing shoes rather than sandals in a Melbourne summer.
Before the transfer book in to see your Chinese doctor before the transfer, if this is not possible then take a warmed wheat bag or used a moxa stick on your lower abdomen and lower back before the transfer. Keep your lower abdomen and back warm, but not hot, especially throughout the first trimester. This means wearing clothes that cover your lower back and tummy, ie. tuck in your shirt, wear high waist pants or skirts or wear a home made kidney wrap, made from cloth or wool.
DON’T PUMP ENERGY AWAY FROM THE FETUS
No caffeine, this includes black teas like earl grey, English breakfast, green teas, coke and Pepsi, and of course no coffee! Caffine also reduces the body's absorption of iron. Decaf is full of chemicals so stay away from this also.
There is minimal caffeine in white tea, and no caffeine in herbal teas, so enjoy these teas instead. If you are a heavy coffee drinker wean yourself off coffee over a 2 week period.
Relax. This means mentally and physically. Let go of your worries for today, do not worry about timelines or dead lines, and try to stay away from situations that make your frustrated or anxious.
Practice a light form of yoga, gentle Iyengar or Hatha yoga, and let your instructor know that you are trying to conceive and want to drop your stress levels.
High impact exercise is good in moderation, but not just before a transfer, and not during pregnancy as it raises Cortisol our stress hormone too much.
Good levels of Progesterone is important to hold a fertilized egg within the womb. Progesterone gets converted to Cortisol, so if you are stressed or exercising too much or too hard, then you are more likely to miscarry.
Energy that you expend outwards is energy that could be feeding another life inside of you. Take time to do things that make you relaxed, watch a movie, walk in the park, get a massage, get a facial ect.
GET REGULAR ACUPUNCTURE
In China, acupuncture is often daily for 7 days and then a few days break and then repeated again. Discover Chinese Medicine recommends acupuncture once to twice a week leading into an IVF. Come in for at least 10 treatments before your transfer, and try to fit this in 6 weeks before transfer if possible.
Women having IVF treatment can boost their chances of falling pregnant by 65 per cent simply by having acupuncture.
A review combining the results of seven previous studies has found that acupuncture also increases the chances of having an ongoing pregnancy (beyond 12 weeks from gestation) by 87 per cent - and nearly doubles the chance of a successful live birth, increasing that by 91 per cent. Ref 1
Acupuncture can reduce Cortisol levels, balance hormones, and increase blood flow to the uterus. For more information about how acupuncture can help with fertility and IVF this website has many article links; visit http://www.acupunctureivf.com.au
MINERALS FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY
Folate (folic acid) is very important during this time. So eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables like asparagus, spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, beans, peas, etc. Also, there should be plenty of folic acid in your prenatal vitamin.
Calcium & magnesium citrate should also be in the pre natal vitamin supplement. To obtain good levels of calcium eat fish where the bones are eaten like sardines and consume dairy if possible. Black Beans, Nuts, pumpkin seeds and cooked spinach all contain magnesium.
Taking a supplement of iron is recommend if you iron stores are on the low side. Good sources of iron include: lean beef and lamb, poultry, fish , eggs, chick peas, lentils, kidney and lima beans, green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach
Eating foods high in vitamin C will also help you to absorb iron if you consume them at the same time. Try drinking a glass of water with a quarter lemon when eating green vegetables or legumes.
A pro DHA can help with an “irritable uterus”, and also build good levels of essential fatty acids in your system, essential for baby’s brain and nervous system development.
Eat lots of fresh and organic foods when possible to increase the vitamin and mineral levels n your body.
To aid the Thyroid make sure iodine is part of you prenatal supplement.
HEALTHY THYROID
Undiagnosed, untreated or insufficiently treated thyroid conditions can endanger your pregnancy, increasing the risk of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, pre-term labor, stillbirth, and cognitive problems/mental retardation in your child. Ref 2
Successful Fertility clinics often include thyroid testing as part of a fertility testing. Undiagnosed and untreated thyroid problems can not only impact on fertility but also worsen pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, depression, and morning sickness.
Thyroid stimulating hormone - TSH is released from the pituitary gland, which is responsible via a feed back loop to control the levels of the active thyroid hormones released from the thyroid. If the active thyroid hormones are low then the pituitary asks the thyroid to work harder by releasing more TSH. If TSH is elevated, then this is an indication that you thyroid is underactive.
In America the healthy reference range for the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- TSH is between 0.5 – 2. Australia’s reference range is between 0.5 – 4. This means that even when your TSH levels are at the higher end off ‘so called healthy’ in Australia, American physicians would be treating you. The Australian reference ranger has a larger leeway for underactive thyroids to be called ‘healthy’ thyroids. If you have seen a G.P about your thyroid in the past, and had a thyroid function test that came back within reference range, request to see your results again, if your TSH is above 2, and your not falling pregnant, you may need to boost thyroid function with vitamin, mineral and herbal supplementation before you start trying to conceive again.
References
1. A. Cresswell, ‘Fertility spike from acupuncture’ The Australian , Health editor, February 09, 2008.
2. . M. Shomon ‘ Just When Can You Become Pregnant?’ Based on Information from the NIH, About.com Health's Disease and Condition, 2009. Viewed on the 14/10/11 thyroid.about.com/od/hormonepregnantmenopause1/a/fertility.htm
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – It's not a Life Sentence.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting women in their reproductive years. Causing a wide range of clinical symptoms, it is currently the leading cause of infertility in women.
The name of the syndrome is actually an anomaly as it may occur in women without ovarian cysts. Symptoms range from obesity, hirsutism (male pattern hair growth) alopecia (Hair loss), acne, virilisation (male characteristics), amenorrhea (Loss of period), high cholesterol levels, hypertension, insulin resistance, exhaustion, decreased libido, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and the appearance of acanthosis nigricans (black to brown, poorly defined, velvety hyperpigmentation of the skin).
There may also be a psychological component to PCOS for certain women who experience depression and/or anxiety. This may be hormonally related, or due to self esteem issues related to the expression of PCOS symptoms.
Twenty percent of women have a build up of ovarian follicles on ultrasound screening, however only 7-8 % of these women are diagnosed with PCOS. When any anovulatory state exists for a period of time, the ovaries tend to become polycystic, as findings have shown that 70- 80 % of women who not ovulate regularly suffer from PCOS (Tricky, 2003, pg.333).
According to the NIH criteria, to be diagnosed with PCOS, ‘a woman has to present with chronic oligoanovulation and either biochemical or clinical signs of androgen excess’ (DiMarcantonio, 2008). Ultrasound technology is also used for confirmation of the presence of the syndrome. According to Allahbadia & Agrawal, the ultrasound morphological features to diagnose polycystic ovaries requires the presence of twelve or more follicles in each ovary, each measuring 2-9mm in diameter, and/or increased ovarian volume, above 10 ml (2007, pg.16).
The disturbances that occur in the normal process in ovulation are the cause of the build up of ovarian cysts, which are actually multiple follicles in the ovaries. These follicles grow to half or less the normal size. In a normal cycle, one follicle would continue to grow and release an egg, however in PCOS the follicle stalls halfway.
Endocrinologic studies reveal an array of underlying abnormalities leading to the cause of PCOS including insulin resistance, often secondary to obesity, in association with a build up, or overactivity of hormonal androgens, causing erratic ovulation.
Conventional doctors may prescribe Clomiphene tablets to aid in ovulation for fertility issues. Clomiphene tablets maybe combined with steroid tablets to suppress androgen production. However this does not address the underlying issue. Suppression is not a long term answer, nor is it helping your body.
Let’s look at how PCOS develops in the body, and how to naturally and indefinitely reverse the syndrome.
1. Women who are obese may be predisposed to PCOS. Fatty tissue produces oestrogen and stores oestrogen, leading to hormonal imbalances that effect the development and ripening of immature follicles within the ovary. Fatty tissue also secretes excess androgens leading to many of the masculising signs and symptoms of PCOS. Thus weight loss and control for those with weight issues is a must, especially if weight is carried around the abdomen.
Researchers describe ‘belly fat’ an active "organ", one that churns out hormones and inflammatory substances. ‘Abdominal fat is thought to break down easily into fatty acids, which flow directly into the liver and into muscle’ (WebMD, 2007). Thus overworking the liver and reducing hormonal clearance. During this time insulin can also become less effective in controlling blood sugar, so insulin resistance sets in, yet another cause of PCOS.
2. High stress levels and a ‘maxed’ out liver also contribute to hormonal imbalances in women, leading to acne, anovulation and PCOS. The liver is responsible for clearing built up hormones in the body. When the liver is overloaded with the use of alcohol, caffeine, pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical drugs, overloaded with the clearance of elevated stress hormone, environmental toxins, cleaning agents, aerosolized paints, thinners, or under attack by viral hepatitis, then the liver is unable to clear hormones from the blood stream. Estrogens and testosterone levels then build up.
The treatment is stress reduction and a liver detox. Look over the blog on stress to see that stress is not just physiological, and all stressor must be removed or reduced. Speak to a healthcare practitioner to guide you through a liver detox (which may also aid in weight loss).
3. Diabetes which causes insulin resistance is a major cause of PCOS. Diabetes is controlled with drugs like Metformin and a low carbohydrate and sugar diet. This diet is a must for anyone with PCOS symptoms. The axis around insulin resistance and diet control is a number one priority for anyone wanting to cure themselves of the syndrome.
4. An adrenal gland dysfunction, or tumour, can lead to the adrenals secreting excess androgen (so can chronic stressors). Please see you G.P to get this checked if you predominantly experience male pattern hair growth and acne.
5. Pituitary dysfunction will lead to an abnormal secretion of other menstrual related hormones, causing anovulation, and a build up of follicles within the ovaries. This is the last call, and should be checked if all else fails.
References
1. Trickey,R, 2005, ‘Women, Hormones and the Menstrual Cycle’, Allen & Unwin, Second edition, NSW Australia
2. DiMarcantonio. T, 2008,’ Controversy around the diagnosis of PCOS continues’ Endocrine Today, viewed 7/7/11 -www.endocrinetoday.com/view.aspx?rid=27868
3. Allahbadia, G. & Agrawal, R., 2007, ‘Polycystic ovary Syndrome’, Anshan Ltd, England.
4. 2007, ‘Risks of Belly Fat’, WebMD, viewed 7/7/11 - www.webmd.com/diet/risks-weight-around-waist-7/belly-risks?page=2
Friday, July 1, 2011
DAMP. What is it. How did I get it. How do I clear it.
You may have heard the Chinese Medical term 'Dampness'. What exactly is damp? How did it get there, and how do you get rid of it?
Internal dampness is directly due to the impaired transformative and transportive function of the digestive organs which results in some form of pathogenesis within the body, organs and meridians. Dampness can be thought of as the condition of "high humidity" inside the body.
A Damp condition creates symptoms of sluggish energy, a tendency to gain weight, a feeling of heaviness in the body, joints and or head, swelling or water retention, distended abdomen, sticky stools, loose bowels, phlegm discharge from lungs or nose, nodular masses, a sound of water sloshing in the stomach and or stomach rumblings, sores, weeping eczema, profuse purulent leukorrhea, turbid urine and stools containing mucus, no thirst, fatigue, and the tongue is often puffy with teeth marks and a greasy tongue coating at the back of the tongue. In Chinese Medicine, dampness is considered to be the cause of many illnesses such as high cholesterol, cancer, metabolic disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, Candida, Herpes outbreaks, fibromyalgia, allergies and environmental illness.
A collection of dampness over long periods of time generate heat to build in the body due to the nature of damp blocking Qi and blood flow. The damp and heat mixed together may lead to such problems as inflammation, allergies (especially food allergies), high blood sugar, weight gain, and urinary tract infections. Symptoms can include heaviness, a sensation of fullness in the chest, a smelly and sluggish bowel, abdominal pain, leukorrhea, eczema, and deep yellow colored urine. The tongue is commonly has a greasy coating.
Raw food is a controversy to Chinese medical practitioners. Traditional Chinese doctors work on the principle that raw food may be full of vitamins nutrients, however raw food can be very hard to digest and absorb these nutrients. This is the reason why we do not feed young babies raw food. Everything we feed a baby is cooked, warmed and soft. Baby food is easy to digest and thus nutrients are easily extracted.When the digestive system is not firing properly it is better to stay away from raw food until the digestive system has gained strength, this is especially true for anyone suffering from a damp condition. It is better to eat food that is is easy to digest and warming in nature.
What should I eat? Food Therapy for Dampness & Phlegm -
General Principles:
• Ideal cooking methods are steaming, boiling, grilling, soup. Ideally always eat cooked meals that are warm when you eat them.
• Avoid sugar, concentrated sweeteners, high glycemic index foods, yeast (check labels especially if you have Candida signs), alcohol and fruits except citrus and berries.
• Avoid raw foods including salads and raw fruit (whole or juiced) until damp has cleared and digestion is stronger.
• Eat a whole food diet and remove foods that are difficult to digest such as milk products, (small amounts of yoghurt are ok) soy milk, animal fat, greasy foods, and food and liquids that are cold in temperature ie. Icy or cold drinks, especially beer. (this also means we say good bye to ice cream)
• Eat regularly, avoiding heavy meals especially in the evening
• Eat rich, nutritious meals in small quantities that are well distributed throughout the day.
• Eating on the run or when you’re stressed creates dampness as digestive enzymes are low or not available at these times. Food banks up when we eat at these times.
• Limit the intake of nuts. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and almonds are less congesting however.
• Worry, pensiveness and mental overwork often negatively affect the transporting and transforming function of the Spleen and contribute to deranged water metabolism as internal dampness. Take a deep breath, and spend a little quite time alone or start a meditation practice.
• Overeating creates dampness due to food backing up. Eat until your 80% full.
• Regular stretching and exercise (eg yoga) is an essential part of treatment
• Increase the amount of mild spices in the diet (not chilli)
• Avoid deep fried and ‘junk’ food
• Avoid wheat and gluten products (wheat, rye, oats, barley)
• Vinegar, mushrooms, fermented foods can also create damp – avoid if you experience Candida
• Watch your Vitamin C intake, over 1-2g per day can contribute to dampness.
• Avocado, banana and tropical fruits are absolutely forbidden in the morning.
Beneficial foods:
Vegetables: Pumpkin, sweet potato, celeriac, squash, zucchini, carrot, parsley, Include all green leafy vegetables: broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, brussel sprouts
Protein: chickpeas, black beans, yam, peas, walnuts, chicken, beef, lamb, liver, kidney, tuna, mackerel, anchovy
Beneificial spices: Onion, leek, garlic, turnip, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, cumin, coriander, cardamom, star anise, turmeric.
Drinks: green tea, lemongrass and ginger
Unfortunately a Western diet is damp in nature. You may feel like you have to completely revolutionise your diet and lifestyle to get rid of Damp. All Western students of Traditional Chinese medicine thought the same thing when they found out about damp too. But once you make the change to a non damp diet you will feel younger, look younger, loose weight, your skin will thankyou and you will feel energised, refreshed and liberated.
If this information is too much or confusing don’t opt out, just simply stick to a Japanese diet (except the tempura) and you’ll be fine.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Dont R.I.C.E an injury, just R.C.E and later add some heat - Why Icing your lower Back can Damage your Energy Levels & Fertility.
Traditional Chinese (T.C) Doctors argue to not apply ice to an injury, unless it’s the head. T.C doctors spend much of their time removing cold from their patients to stop pain, increase digestion, kidney function, boost fertility and immunity. So when patients go an ice their bodies, the progress they are making in their health after a treatment from a Chinese doctor may actually start to regress.
When you look at how cold effects liquids, then think about what cold would do to your blood? When the blood becomes cold, the blood congeals, stopping nutrient supply to our injury. This is why a T.C. Doctor would never recommend icing any part of your body. Even an acute injury, in this instance you may want to apply the R.C.E principle, R.I.C.E with out the Ice. After 24 hours you may want to increase blood flow to an injured area. This will increase the nutrients that blood provides to an injury, you would actually apply heat.
Human beings are warm blooded. This means our resting body temperature is around 36.6 degrees, if our kidney yang and thyroid are working properly that is. If we think about the homeopathic principle ‘like cures like’, then applying cold to an ‘injured’ warm blooded being could actually be counter productive.
T.C Doctors are also very carful in advising their patients to NEVER apply cold to the lower back, abdomen or sole of the foot. This denotes the area of the Kidney Organ and corresponding end point of the Kidney meridian. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Kidneys are known as the “Root of Life”, this is because the life essence that we receive from our parents which denotes the health of our entire life resides in the Kidneys. Like every Organ the Kidneys have a Yin and Yang aspect, however the Kidneys Yin and Yang are the foundation of the Yin and Yang for the entire body. This means the body’s ability to regulate temperature, control fluids and water metabolism, energy levels, sexual vitality and fertility are all dependant on the regulation of the Kidneys Yin and Yang.
Yin and Yang are two opposite states which have the ability to transform into the other. Like Day to Night, female to male (all embryos’ starts as female), interior to exterior, cold to hot. The Yin in our bodies is cooling and moisturizing in nature, and the Yang, warming and moving in nature. We can damage the Yin by over heating our bodies and can damage the Yang by allowing our body to become cold. This is especially so if we allow these extreme temperatures to effect the region of the Kidneys, the lower back and the lower abdomen.
This means the Kidneys are vulnerable to extreme temperature conditions, like applying Ice to the lower back, or letting the cold in by wearing short tops or low waisted jeans (watch this when cycling). The Kidneys vitality are especially effected by cold as they are also known as the “Fire of the Gate of Vitality”, and when we loose that fire we loose the function of the Kidneys.
The Kidneys Yin and Yang are interdependent upon the other. Like an oil lamp, the Yin is the oil and the Yang is the flame. If the oil decreases the flame will decrease and visa versa. So by internally heating the body up with heating foods, heating pharmaceuticals, hot herbs, excessive sauna use including (Bikhram Yoga) or exhausting the body at night, we not only damage the Yin but the Yang also. Just as if we allow the body to become cold by either exposing our body to the cold or exhausting the body in cold conditions, excessive sex or using cold pharmaceuticals like anti-biotics, we can also damage the Yin.
Infertility is usually due to Yang deficiency
Applying cold to a mans back or abdomen for some time can damage his Kidney yang and lead to erectile dysfunction. Women should also be extra careful in not ice their abdomen as their womb is sensitive to the cold. The womb can trap the cold inside it, which is very difficult to remove as it is deep in the body. Trapped cold in the womb can lead to congealed blood and therefore painful periods and infertility. There is an old T.C Doctors saying “you can not cook a bun in a cold oven”. A woman’s temperature naturally rises with the “Yang hormone” progesterone in the second phase of her menstrual cycle (the implantation stage). If she falls pregnant then progesterone is made in abundance and the body’s temperature remains high. This means if we do not have enough of the Yang hormone to heat the body up, the baby will not hold.
It is also important to note that after birth you should definitely NOT apply ice to the perineum to reduce swelling!! This can be disastrous to period pain and fertility in the future.
When you look at how cold effects liquids, then think about what cold would do to your blood? When the blood becomes cold, the blood congeals, stopping nutrient supply to our injury. This is why a T.C. Doctor would never recommend icing any part of your body. Even an acute injury, in this instance you may want to apply the R.C.E principle, R.I.C.E with out the Ice. After 24 hours you may want to increase blood flow to an injured area. This will increase the nutrients that blood provides to an injury, you would actually apply heat.
Human beings are warm blooded. This means our resting body temperature is around 36.6 degrees, if our kidney yang and thyroid are working properly that is. If we think about the homeopathic principle ‘like cures like’, then applying cold to an ‘injured’ warm blooded being could actually be counter productive.
T.C Doctors are also very carful in advising their patients to NEVER apply cold to the lower back, abdomen or sole of the foot. This denotes the area of the Kidney Organ and corresponding end point of the Kidney meridian. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Kidneys are known as the “Root of Life”, this is because the life essence that we receive from our parents which denotes the health of our entire life resides in the Kidneys. Like every Organ the Kidneys have a Yin and Yang aspect, however the Kidneys Yin and Yang are the foundation of the Yin and Yang for the entire body. This means the body’s ability to regulate temperature, control fluids and water metabolism, energy levels, sexual vitality and fertility are all dependant on the regulation of the Kidneys Yin and Yang.
Yin and Yang are two opposite states which have the ability to transform into the other. Like Day to Night, female to male (all embryos’ starts as female), interior to exterior, cold to hot. The Yin in our bodies is cooling and moisturizing in nature, and the Yang, warming and moving in nature. We can damage the Yin by over heating our bodies and can damage the Yang by allowing our body to become cold. This is especially so if we allow these extreme temperatures to effect the region of the Kidneys, the lower back and the lower abdomen.
This means the Kidneys are vulnerable to extreme temperature conditions, like applying Ice to the lower back, or letting the cold in by wearing short tops or low waisted jeans (watch this when cycling). The Kidneys vitality are especially effected by cold as they are also known as the “Fire of the Gate of Vitality”, and when we loose that fire we loose the function of the Kidneys.
The Kidneys Yin and Yang are interdependent upon the other. Like an oil lamp, the Yin is the oil and the Yang is the flame. If the oil decreases the flame will decrease and visa versa. So by internally heating the body up with heating foods, heating pharmaceuticals, hot herbs, excessive sauna use including (Bikhram Yoga) or exhausting the body at night, we not only damage the Yin but the Yang also. Just as if we allow the body to become cold by either exposing our body to the cold or exhausting the body in cold conditions, excessive sex or using cold pharmaceuticals like anti-biotics, we can also damage the Yin.
Infertility is usually due to Yang deficiency
Applying cold to a mans back or abdomen for some time can damage his Kidney yang and lead to erectile dysfunction. Women should also be extra careful in not ice their abdomen as their womb is sensitive to the cold. The womb can trap the cold inside it, which is very difficult to remove as it is deep in the body. Trapped cold in the womb can lead to congealed blood and therefore painful periods and infertility. There is an old T.C Doctors saying “you can not cook a bun in a cold oven”. A woman’s temperature naturally rises with the “Yang hormone” progesterone in the second phase of her menstrual cycle (the implantation stage). If she falls pregnant then progesterone is made in abundance and the body’s temperature remains high. This means if we do not have enough of the Yang hormone to heat the body up, the baby will not hold.
It is also important to note that after birth you should definitely NOT apply ice to the perineum to reduce swelling!! This can be disastrous to period pain and fertility in the future.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
How to fix your digestion with Chinese medicine.
When a patient arrives to a Chinese Medicine clinic with signs of bloating, loose stool, gas, gurgling in their belly, foggy thinking, cold hands and feet, poor circulation, easy bruising, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, heavy menstrual periods in women, and fatigue they call it ‘Spleen Qi deficiency’. All of these symptoms, according to Traditional Chinese medicine, relate to poor digestion. Poor digestion can be caused by: poor eating habits, eating late at night, not eating regularly, over eating, eating too much cold or raw food, drinking with meals, worry, overwork, illness, eating inappropriate foods for your constitution, stress, food allergies and certain medications.
With a weakened digestion, you are not able to effectively absorb all the nutrients in your diet - leading to malnutrition and fatigue. Struggling to digest and process the foods you eat leads to further digestive upset such as abdominal bloating. Without the proper nutrients, your circulatory system and blood vessel integrity can also become weakened – leading to easy bruising, varicose veins and poor circulation. The key to recovery is to strengthen the digestion so that your body can be nourished once again.
Dietary advice for Spleen Qi deficiency is focused on good quality nutrition that is easily digested. Raw food in particular is difficult to digest, as the cell wall of plant material is incredibly tough to penetrate – therefore minimal nutrition is available to us and it passes through as fibre. Cooking vegetables and stewing fruit (in water only - no sugar required!) breaks the cell wall of the plant, making it easier for us to access the nutrients within. As your digestion improves, you can gradually reintroduce small amounts of raw food at the end of a meal – however it can be several months before you reach this stage.
It is also important to avoid any foods that you have an allergy or intolerance to. This reaction does not necessarily have to be an anaphylactic type reaction with throat swelling or eyes puffing up, but can also be a reaction that happens at more of a micro level. Food intolerances are immune responses that occur typically as a result of increased intestinal permeability (sometimes called “leaky gut”). Chronic inflammation in the gut wall leads to increased permeability, essentially the gaps that would normally let through digested proteins (called amino acids) are enlarged due to the inflammation and this allows some proteins to make it through your intestine wall and into the blood stream before they have had a chance to be broken down into an acceptable format. Your body then identifies the food protein as a foreign protein substance that shouldn’t be there and launches and immune response. With repeat exposure to the same food this immune response solidifies so that your body reacts on each exposure to that food.
It can be especially worthwhile to test for reactions to common allergens such as wheat, gluten and dairy products, this can be done by avoiding all possible sources for at least 2 weeks, and then reintroducing and checking for re-emergence of symptoms.
However the fastest and most accurate way to find out which foods your body is sensitive or intolerant to is to do an IgG Food Sensitivity Test. The IgG food sensitivity test is a blood test that detects antibodies that your body has developed against certain foods. You may have an allergen to foods like, corn, eggs, certain nuts, or yeast. It is very difficult to ascertain our allergens to these types of foods, as they are hidden in so many processed foods that we eat, and we may not know when we are eating them.
Removing foods that you have an IgG reaction to can help to alleviate symptoms associated with exposure. Common symptoms include:
- constipation
- loose bowels/diarrhea
- abdominal pain/cramping
- bloating
- fatigue
- low mood/fluctuating mood
- skin conditions
This IgG food intolerance test can be ordered through practitioners at our clinic, Discover Chinese Medicine.
Anti-Candida Protocol
Going on the Anti-Candia protocol is a great way to boost digestion, even if you do not have Candida. For those with tiredness or other Candida type symptoms you should follow this diet for the next 20 days. Avoid the following foods and ingredients as strictly as possible:
• Alcohol
• Sugar (check labels!!)
• Yeast
• Cheese
• Fermented products including miso, tofu and other soy products, vinegar etc
• Mushrooms
• Gluten grains (wheat, rye, oats, barley)
• Processed foods, non-organic produce
• Fruit
Avoiding these foods will limit the energy source for fungal overgrowths and allow the body a chance to restore balance. At the end of the 20 day period, you can resume your normal diet. Reintroduce foods slowly, one group per day, and keep an eye out for negative reactions. It may be the case that you need to avoid these foods for longer.
Candex is a herbal formula that DiscoverTCM prescribes that combines ingredients to fight fungal infection and restore a natural balance of flora to the digestion and vaginal areas. This will help stubborn cases.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the clinic. Good luck!
General Principles for Eating to boost digestion:
Absolutely avoid all raw food including salads. Salads using steamed vegetables are ok in warm weather.
All foods to be cooked and eaten warmed, long slow cooking, soups, broth & stews are idea.
Chew all food thoroughly to help reduce the strain on your digestion
Simple combinations of a few ingredients,
Smaller meals more often,
Regular meal times
No excess fluid with meals, overeating, missing meals or eating while working.
Avoid food that is more than one day old.
Increase protein intake, the best source of protein is animal protein, especially organic chicken (soups and stock), and green leafy vegetables are high in Iron content. In vegetarian diets folic acid and Vit B12 can be taken as supplements.
Beneficial foods:
Light grains especially white rice and rice porridge (congee), oats, roasted barley, sweet rice, pumpkin, sweet potato, celeriac, squash, carrot, corn, parsley, chickpeas, black beans, yam, peas, walnuts, stewed fruit, chicken, beef, lamb, liver, kidney, tuna, mackerel, anchovy.
Moderate amounts of spices: Onion, leek, garlic, turnip, pepper, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel and other kitchen spices.
Small amounts of natural sweeteners: Molasses, dates, rice syrup, barley malt & palm sugar.
Restrict or avoid:
Uncooked, raw foods, salads, raw fruit (whole and juiced), wheat, sprouts, and cereal grasses, raw vegetables, tomato, spinach, tofu, millet, seaweeds, salt, too many sweet foods and concentrated sweeteners, brown rice, Vitamin C (over 1-2g per day). No yeast.
Especially avoid ice cream and dairy (except a little butter and yogurt), sugar, chocolate, nuts and seeds (except walnuts) and nut butters, spicy food, large amounts of black pepper.
With a weakened digestion, you are not able to effectively absorb all the nutrients in your diet - leading to malnutrition and fatigue. Struggling to digest and process the foods you eat leads to further digestive upset such as abdominal bloating. Without the proper nutrients, your circulatory system and blood vessel integrity can also become weakened – leading to easy bruising, varicose veins and poor circulation. The key to recovery is to strengthen the digestion so that your body can be nourished once again.
Dietary advice for Spleen Qi deficiency is focused on good quality nutrition that is easily digested. Raw food in particular is difficult to digest, as the cell wall of plant material is incredibly tough to penetrate – therefore minimal nutrition is available to us and it passes through as fibre. Cooking vegetables and stewing fruit (in water only - no sugar required!) breaks the cell wall of the plant, making it easier for us to access the nutrients within. As your digestion improves, you can gradually reintroduce small amounts of raw food at the end of a meal – however it can be several months before you reach this stage.
It is also important to avoid any foods that you have an allergy or intolerance to. This reaction does not necessarily have to be an anaphylactic type reaction with throat swelling or eyes puffing up, but can also be a reaction that happens at more of a micro level. Food intolerances are immune responses that occur typically as a result of increased intestinal permeability (sometimes called “leaky gut”). Chronic inflammation in the gut wall leads to increased permeability, essentially the gaps that would normally let through digested proteins (called amino acids) are enlarged due to the inflammation and this allows some proteins to make it through your intestine wall and into the blood stream before they have had a chance to be broken down into an acceptable format. Your body then identifies the food protein as a foreign protein substance that shouldn’t be there and launches and immune response. With repeat exposure to the same food this immune response solidifies so that your body reacts on each exposure to that food.
It can be especially worthwhile to test for reactions to common allergens such as wheat, gluten and dairy products, this can be done by avoiding all possible sources for at least 2 weeks, and then reintroducing and checking for re-emergence of symptoms.
However the fastest and most accurate way to find out which foods your body is sensitive or intolerant to is to do an IgG Food Sensitivity Test. The IgG food sensitivity test is a blood test that detects antibodies that your body has developed against certain foods. You may have an allergen to foods like, corn, eggs, certain nuts, or yeast. It is very difficult to ascertain our allergens to these types of foods, as they are hidden in so many processed foods that we eat, and we may not know when we are eating them.
Removing foods that you have an IgG reaction to can help to alleviate symptoms associated with exposure. Common symptoms include:
- constipation
- loose bowels/diarrhea
- abdominal pain/cramping
- bloating
- fatigue
- low mood/fluctuating mood
- skin conditions
This IgG food intolerance test can be ordered through practitioners at our clinic, Discover Chinese Medicine.
Anti-Candida Protocol
Going on the Anti-Candia protocol is a great way to boost digestion, even if you do not have Candida. For those with tiredness or other Candida type symptoms you should follow this diet for the next 20 days. Avoid the following foods and ingredients as strictly as possible:
• Alcohol
• Sugar (check labels!!)
• Yeast
• Cheese
• Fermented products including miso, tofu and other soy products, vinegar etc
• Mushrooms
• Gluten grains (wheat, rye, oats, barley)
• Processed foods, non-organic produce
• Fruit
Avoiding these foods will limit the energy source for fungal overgrowths and allow the body a chance to restore balance. At the end of the 20 day period, you can resume your normal diet. Reintroduce foods slowly, one group per day, and keep an eye out for negative reactions. It may be the case that you need to avoid these foods for longer.
Candex is a herbal formula that DiscoverTCM prescribes that combines ingredients to fight fungal infection and restore a natural balance of flora to the digestion and vaginal areas. This will help stubborn cases.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the clinic. Good luck!
General Principles for Eating to boost digestion:
Absolutely avoid all raw food including salads. Salads using steamed vegetables are ok in warm weather.
All foods to be cooked and eaten warmed, long slow cooking, soups, broth & stews are idea.
Chew all food thoroughly to help reduce the strain on your digestion
Simple combinations of a few ingredients,
Smaller meals more often,
Regular meal times
No excess fluid with meals, overeating, missing meals or eating while working.
Avoid food that is more than one day old.
Increase protein intake, the best source of protein is animal protein, especially organic chicken (soups and stock), and green leafy vegetables are high in Iron content. In vegetarian diets folic acid and Vit B12 can be taken as supplements.
Beneficial foods:
Light grains especially white rice and rice porridge (congee), oats, roasted barley, sweet rice, pumpkin, sweet potato, celeriac, squash, carrot, corn, parsley, chickpeas, black beans, yam, peas, walnuts, stewed fruit, chicken, beef, lamb, liver, kidney, tuna, mackerel, anchovy.
Moderate amounts of spices: Onion, leek, garlic, turnip, pepper, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel and other kitchen spices.
Small amounts of natural sweeteners: Molasses, dates, rice syrup, barley malt & palm sugar.
Restrict or avoid:
Uncooked, raw foods, salads, raw fruit (whole and juiced), wheat, sprouts, and cereal grasses, raw vegetables, tomato, spinach, tofu, millet, seaweeds, salt, too many sweet foods and concentrated sweeteners, brown rice, Vitamin C (over 1-2g per day). No yeast.
Especially avoid ice cream and dairy (except a little butter and yogurt), sugar, chocolate, nuts and seeds (except walnuts) and nut butters, spicy food, large amounts of black pepper.
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