Dr. Isabella’s Insights

Published in The Retreat Newspaper May 2024 issue No. 12

 

What does embodiment mean to you? How does it show up in your work? 

This is such a good question! Embodiment to me is the same as healing. I consider the degree to which we experience life in the body as the greatest measure of health. We only suffer when it is obstructed, fragmented or disembodied in some way. My clinical work is centered around embodiment in the sense we are only ever working with the resources within your own body and I will only ever prescribe things that entirely support, reconnect and liberate these resources at zero cost. This can seem like a big feat in the face of the chronic and mental conditions I work with, typically people want to run to the big and drastic interventions. Yet as my patients actively participate in their healing with practical participation, the more results they get without dramatic procedures. This is because they’re not relying on me to ‘give’ them health, they are creating it and embodying it themselves.

Like a lot of your clients, I work with you remotely. What is the concept of ‘quantum entanglement’ and how does it help explain why remote energy therapy works? 

Remote energy therapy has been practiced in Taoist medicine for over three thousand years. Quantum physics explains how subatomic particles maintain relationship even when they are great distances from each other. Concepts like ‘quantum entanglement’ continue to explain the interconnection of the human body with the natural world that Taoism has always spoken about. The reality is that even acupuncture treatments don’t work because of the needles themselves, but because of the channels in the patient’s body. And we don’t need to be in the same room to affect them!

One of my favorite parts of our work together is the Qigong practices you assign. How can Qigong be a form of embodied healing?

Qi Gong IS embodied healing! It is literally the practice of cultivating and working with energy through awareness, in the physical body. To me the purpose of any therapy is really to help reconnect someone to their own internal experience in their body and create a space where healing becomes increasingly more possible. Qi Gong allows us to maintain that experience through daily practice, and then our health is ultimately in our own hands.

One of the definitions of embodiment is ‘a visible form or expression of a feeling’. I immediately think of symptoms as I read this. How often is a symptom a result of something emotional? How do you address the emotional root of something that has manifested physically? 

In both Classical Chinese and Tibetan Medicine, we work on the premise that all illness begins in the mind. The mind creates emotions which express through the organs and cause us to contract in ways that create physiological blockages. In Tibetan medicine we call these mental-emotional causes our inner winds, as just like the wind, we cannot see them directly, we can only see their effects. As these materialize in the physical body, we get symptoms. These are held and stored at different levels of the body and can create varying degrees of stagnation in our muscles, blood, lymphatics, nerves and bones. Taoist medicine has a profound diagnostic system to assess this. Of course, this gets complicated by infections, toxins and burdens the body also accumulates over time and creates patterns of symptoms we call disease. So illness does not live at the level of our emotions, it follows stages of progression in the physical body. And that is where our sensory experience (our feelings) and our solutions live too. My approach to regenerative health and acupuncture works from the ground up through the physical body in light of each person’s unique history and mental-emotional patterns. This allows us to support the body’s own natural release of its physical and emotional scars. We’re never forcing out your emotional traumas to heal you, we’re helping the body to move to a state beyond survival mode towards circulation, vitality and evolution. 

You asked me to send you a photo of my eyes recently. Of course, I went down an Iridology rabbit hole after. Techniques like iridology provide a less obvious sign of dis-ease in the body than something like a rash does. Two part question: what wisdom do the eyes offer? What other techniques, like iridology, which offer clues/subtle messages/insights, do you work with?  

Every part of the body can be understood as a microcosm of the whole body itself. In Chinese Medicine school you learn a lot about tongue and pulse diagnosis but these are just the tip of the iceberg. Eye diagnosis is a lost art in Taoist medicine that can help us gain a lot of insight into constitutional (genetic) and latent (hidden) conditions in the body, which are difficult to diagnose by Western technologies. Certain palpation and observational techniques with the sinews and veins can also help me assess these kinds of deeper imbalances also. For the metrics lovers, I offer bio resonance scans to back this all up.

In one of our more recent sessions, we worked on feeling worthy of healing, of true vitality. Do you believe that our thoughts can create sickness? Can they heal? If so, can you talk about the power of embodying the belief that healing is possible and it is innate?  

As we said, all disease begins in the mind. The mind gets us sick or well to the extent that our physical body follows suit. If we repeat thoughts long enough that they become beliefs, it is likely that our muscles and cells will contract in response and create symptoms. When significant inflammation, fibrosis or scar tissue have built up physically we need to focus on those areas first before we can expect the tissues to release what is in the way of their normal function. Only then can you have the embodiment of health in your body. The scientific reality is that healing is innate and limitless in every cell of the living body! And it is so much faster when you’re willing to bring awareness to the ways you suppress it with unhelpful thoughts and beliefs.

Speaking more specifically for the season:

For our Northern Hemisphere readers: what is the organ of Spring and what emotion does this organ embody. The liver and gallbladder, and our capacity for motivation, purpose and direction. Disembodied expressions would be anger, resentment and frustration.

Three tips for embodying health and vitality in Springtime? Flexible movement, light living foods and open-eyed meditations.

For our Southern Hemisphere readers:

The organ of fall and what emotion does this organ embody. The lungs and large intestine, and our capacity for release, forgiveness and discernment. Disembodied expressions would be grief, sadness, and judgement. 

Three tips for embodying health and vitality in Autumn? Moisture rich meals, deep exhales and reflecting in appreciation.

Your favorite practice for embodiment?

Well since embodiment is a natural result of releasing what is dis-embodying us, the best practice would be one which allows us to exhale and let go. If we can devote ourselves to this type of practice, we can then begin to connect with ourselves on the deepest level, which is what embodiment is all about. This kind of contemplation easily gets lost in more ambitious spiritual practices. In Taoism we keep it simple and start at the root, as we can only grow up from there.

Daoist Meditation Practice

1. Breathe DOWN into your lower belly. This area just below your navel is called your lower dan tien, where you want all your awareness to settle. Do not move onto the next step until you feel that only your low belly rises and falls with your breath, not your chest or your shoulders!

2. Focus on your EXHALE only, through your nose. Pay little attention to your inhale, it will happen naturally.

3. CONNECT the tip of tongue on roof of mouth and maintain a sense of your center as you practice. 

Remember to keep it embodied, present, and relaxed. Your qi flows a lot easier that way.

The Tao of Survival

Published in The Retreat Newspaper December 2023 issue No. 07

 

Winter is a time of survival. The cold slows the circulation of your body and thoughts, flaring up your seasonal depression, anxiety, and symptoms. Despite the promised relief of your seasonal self-care practices, you feel restless, and reliant on your matcha, workouts and many ways you prop yourself up until spring puts the fire back under you. You get stuck chasing adrenaline, not knowing that in your deepest core, you are full of life.

This is the message of the season, according to Taoist philosophy. Your source of vitality, healing and regeneration is not in your wellness hacks, but in your kidneys (the organ of winter). They hold your genetic potential and ability to survive, including your willpower, courage and even the adrenal steroids to power you through fear (the emotion of the kidneys).

The problem is that when you get caught in a chronic stress response, your instinct to survive can block your evolution. The impacts from your past experiences have a way of lingering in your bones (the body tissue of the kidneys), calcifying the mind into fearful programs that confuse your ability to release, change and move forward in daily life. This is what we call trauma, when the scars of ‘survival mode’ freeze you in patterns of addiction, suppression, and distraction against your will.

The good news is the kidneys are all about freeing you from this. Ruled by the element of water in Chinese medicine, they govern not only our urination, filtration and buffering systems but also the fluidity and perspective of the mind. They are on a constant mission of purification and transformation for you, trying to keep things flowing at all costs (that is the hallmark of health, after all). You were literally built to release.

As a physician, I’ve found the only rational way to heal diseases is not to treat them, but rather to restore the body’s ability eliminate what got in the way of its perfect design and function. Remember, your vitality is within you and there to nourish you, but it’s suppressed by the self-eroding chemistry of cortisol and struggle. This is where you come in.

If you’re willing to go beyond simply surviving, it begins with one question: can you commit to living in a way that (1) doesn’t add to the problem and (2) naturally eliminates it?

If so, apply that to every food, pill, practice, and environment in your life and you’ll learn what needs to naturally fall away. Maybe it’s the rigid workout protocols that keep your cortisol up, or the caffeine and cacao addictions that constantly spike your adrenaline. You may also want to bring life into your body with deeper breaths, and hydrating foods that move old waste through you easily. Maybe even practice putting down your phone, dropping your shoulders, and exhaling next time your thoughts try to convince you of impending disaster again.

The catch? It takes persistence. While your mind can likely think up many methods to create more fluidity in your life, your body only believes you through consistency. A foundational, kidney-deep restructuring can only be made with the qualities of the water element: Taoism says these are patience, commitment, perseverance, humility, perspective, and surrender. In time, this solid path lays the groundwork for a more tolerant, adaptable, and purposeful nervous system. In other words – freedom to live - which is what you are really after.

You will have to continue this way – this Tao - every moment of every day despite the seduction of more sophisticated methods. And as you begin to find stability, you might begin to sense the fulfilment, optimism, and strength that has always filled every portion of your body from the inside too. Just in time for spring.

Treatment of adult ADHD in Traditional Chinese Medicine with Classical Ben Shen Diagnosis

Published in Acupuncture Today April 2022 and May 2022 issues

by Isabella Gucci-Ruffalo and Joseph Changqing Yang

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is characterized by an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, unfocused motor activity and impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It is often diagnosed in childhood and lasts into adulthood. ADHD is a chronic condition that can have a serious and long-lasting impact on a person's life. While there is no cure for ADHD, it is possible to reduce symptomatology with the currently available treatments, which include medication, psychotherapy, training, or a combination approach.

Case Presentation

A 30-year-old female patient presents with ADHD which was diagnosed in childhood. She reports frequent procrastination, inattentiveness, and inability to focus. The patient reports that she has difficulty processing one thing at a time and prioritizing tasks. She makes careless mistakes often because of this. She complains of poor short term memory recall and needs to write things down or else she will forget. Only creative work seems to summon her focus. She also complains of emotional dysregulation and occasional irritability, which manifests as a clogged sensation in the throat, palpitations, and a rising sensation of energy. She also reports social anxiety, hypersensitivity to sounds and stimuli, vivid dreams, and occasional night sweats.

Her medical history includes asthma since early childhood, and she has secondary complaints of sinus congestion, fatigue, nausea, occasional bloating and constipation. Most significantly, the patient has a history of trauma at age 11 which was left unresolved for ten years until she began psychotherapy. She self-medicated with CBD extract but declined all psychiatric medication until 2 weeks ago when she started Provigil (Modafinil), a medication that promotes wakefulness. This medication is thought to work by altering the natural chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain, according to Drugs.com. Since starting this prescription, the patient complains of the side effects of this medication which include lowered appetite, nervousness, and increased body temperature.

The patient’s physical presentation is robust. She presents with moderate bodily activity and weighs 298 lbs. at 6 feet tall. She has a clear, high-toned voice and makes eye contact; she does not appear as a mentally deficient constitution from a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective. She has a very present demeanor and an easygoing attitude during her treatments with us. However, when discussing her personal history of trauma, her voice tends to become relatively quiet, and her facial emotions flatten.

Using TCM diagnosis, the patient’s tongue presents is pink, swollen, and geographic with deep midline and horizontal cracks, and a dry coat. Her pulses are rapid overall and deep in the chi positions. Her left pulses are weak and thready in the cun and guan positions, and her right pulses are forceful, and slippery in the guan position.

TCM diagnosis

Shen evaluation according to Classical Ben Shen diagnosis is a three level diagnostic system. It is comprised of癫狂 Dian kuang pattern differentiation, 神气Shen qi pattern differentiation and 五神 Five Shen pattern differentiation. These diagnostics patterns are based on Nei Jing Inner Classics and several classical texts. This is the major diagnostic system for mental disorders in Classical Chinese Medicine, and it is entirely rooted in the foundational texts that Chinese Medicine is founded upon.

Mental evaluation:

The first level is a mild yin pattern or ‘Dian’ disorder.

The second level is Shen Qi Irritability.

The third level is the Heart Shen Irritability.

Physical evaluation:

Heart fire, Spleen qi deficiency with damp phlegm obstruction.

Treatment principle:

            Stabilize Shen qi, calm Heart Shen, clear the Heart fire and transform damp phlegm.

Case Analysis

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, the patient has clear signs of the Heart not storing the Shen causing the Shen to ‘float’, which manifests as ADHD symptoms. In addition, she has moodiness and irritability also to the Heart Shen dysregulation. She is also suffering the medication’s side effects, which weakens her Shen and mental energy further.

After the Shen evaluation, we evaluated her mental energy pattern with the three level diagnosis following the Classical Ben Shen (本神) system. According to out diagnosis system, the mental energy pattern of Shen qi is the core concept for all mental disorders. The first level diagnosis is of a mild yin pattern or ‘Dian’ disorder, the second level is Shen qi irritability, and the third level is Heart Shen irritability. Our treatment focuses on this main mental energy pattern, though she also falls into the diagnostic pattern of Shen qi oversensitivity secondarily. Her TCM zang fu organ pattern is Heart fire with Spleen qi deficiency and damp phlegm obstruction; her body weight, nasal congestion, and clogged sensation in the throat are all signs of damp phlegm accumulation in her body.

Treatment protocol

First visit (07/20/2021):

We began the first treatment after the initial mental and physical evaluations at her first visit. Acupuncture treatments require mental Shen preparation, which we do with Shen communication techniques to guide the patient’s Shen when we are performing acupuncture treatment. The techniques used are based on the patient’s Shen Qi pattern and the four levels of examination.

Acupuncture Points:

DU20, REN22, REN12, REN4, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, HT5, SP4, GB13, LV3, GB40

Herbal Formula:

Bi Yan Pian 8 pills 3x/day

Shen Ling Bai Zhu Pian 8pills 3x/day

Nutrition & Lifestyle Recommendations:

We advised the patient to eat at regular mealtimes, incorporate spleen tonifying foods, and eliminate dairy, ice, processed foods, and refined sugars. We taught and prescribed her Medical Qi Gong exercises and meditation.

Second visit (07/26/2021):

            Patient reports that her symptoms have improved. Within an hour after the last treatment, she released many repressed tears and experienced lightness and relief from this release. She reports feeling more ‘dialled in’, focused and settled since last week and experiences increased motivation. Due to the medication, she has almost no hunger, increased body temperature, and sweating. She is on day 2 of her menstruation and feels slightly irritable. She mentions her throat can feel stuck when she gets anxious. She enjoys her new nutritional and lifestyle habits and attributes better digestion and respiration to these changes. Her tongue and pulse remain unchanged since her first treatment.

Acupuncture Points

DU20, REN22, REN12, REN4, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, HT5, SP4, GB13

Third treatment (08/02/2021):

The patient reports improvement and that she felt ‘great’ after last treatment. Today only she feels slightly more ‘stuck’, as she just got offered a new job position and is unsure whether to take it. She feels frozen towards making the decision and slightly anxious about it. Her stools are looser than usual but still somewhat formed. She is tired and feels that her body is holding the stress. Her eyes are dry due to the medication.

Acupuncture Points

DU20, REN22, REN12, REN4, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, HT5, SP4, GB13, LV3, GB40

Herbal Formula:

Bi Yan Pian 8 pills 3x/day

Shen Ling Bai Zhu Pian 8pills 3x/day

Fourth treatment (08/16/2021):

Patient reports feeling better, she feels more focused and able to prioritize things and does tasks more quickly throughout the day than before. Since she ran out of the herbal prescription, she notices some more sinus congestion and slower digestion and asked us to refill herbs as they were very effective in sustaining her results. She decided to take the new part time job. At her current job, she discovered some undesirable news and became irritable about it. She managed to catch herself almost immediately and decided to choose to feel calm about it instead. She said she had never self-regulated like this before and she was pleased to feel calmer and in control of her emotions.

Acupuncture Points

DU20, REN22, REN12, REN4, REN5, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, HT5, SP4, GB13, LV3, GB40

Herbal Formula:

Bi Yan Pian 8 pills 3x/day

Shen Ling Bai Zhu Pian 8pills 3x/day

Fifth treatment:

The patient reports feeling calmer and more ‘grounded’ than ever and more able to focus on tasks. She is prioritizing better and feels her motivation has been stable. She reports that her PMS this month is much milder than usual. She mentions that recently her sleep has been deeper than normal and that it is difficult for her to wake up in the morning. She thinks this is due to the medication over-stimulating her and burning her out, leaving her exhausted by the end of the day. She started a second part time job this week, and she is still getting acclimated but feels positive about it.

We added a custom herbal prescription on her fifth treatment, which is indicated both to calm her Shen and transform the damp phlegm. This is a customized formula that has been combined according to the Ben Shen mental health theories and principles. 

Acupuncture Points

DU20, REN22, REN12, REN4, REN5, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, HT5, SP4, GB13, LV3, GB40

Herbal Formula

Long Gu 25g, Shi Jue Ming 15g, Fu Shen 15g, Chen Pi 12g, Shi Chang Pu 12g, Zhi Ban Xia 12g, Bai Zhu 12g, Zhi Zi 9g, Sha Ren 9g, Mu Xiang 9g

Sixth treatment & Summary:

Acupuncture Points

DU20, DU23, REN12, REN4, REN5, ST40, SHEN GUAN, KID4, KID3, KID7, HT5, SP4, GB13, LV3

Herbal Formula: continued the custom prescription.

The patient’s ADHD symptoms continue to improve. She reports feeling more grounded, focused and attentive. She feels significantly less irritable, and emotionally lighter after having let go of many harbored emotions throughout the course of this treatment. She experiences improved motivation, and she is eating healthier, meditating more regularly and managing her tasks more effectively. Her ‘dian’ disorder has improved and her Shen qi mental energy is much more regulated. 

The patient discontinued use of her ADHD medication two weeks ago much to our surprise. She experienced some fatigue with the withdrawal. We have continued her treatments since completing this study, and she reports continued improvement in her symptoms and good quality sleep. She reports that her nasal congestion and digestive function is significantly improved and ‘normal’ now, and she only experiences discomfort when she eats dairy or forgets to take her herbal prescription. She is pleased with the improvement of her condition, and now that she feels more emotionally and physically regulated, she intends to prepare her body for pregnancy in the near future.

Commentary & Conclusion

It must be noted that this patient is not just a psychiatric ADHD patient, but that she also experiences dysregulation on the physical and energetic levels. The all-encompassing nature of Chinese Medicine can be used to treat her holistically, by considering her physiology and her personal history to create effective treatment that includes traditional lifestyle support as an important adjunct to her psychological treatment.

Based on this classical system, we treat the root of imbalance (Shen disharmony) to address the branch symptomatology (ADHD, the chemical imbalance triggered by the Shen disharmony). While modern psychiatry is a tool for addressing the mental level, real healing takes place on all levels of the human being that are simultaneously part of the disharmony. This is where the patient-oriented approach the time-tested efficacy of Classical Chinese Medicine can be of great value in the clinic.

After six consecutive acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments, our patient’s mental energy, i.e., Shen qi is regulated. Her Heart Shen is ‘returning to its house’ in Traditional Chinese Medical terms. In TCM, the Shen is the psyche, mind, spirit and monarchy of our life and qi is the root of life, thus Shen qi is the energy of our life and psychospiritual state. We have achieved great results with our diagnosis and treatment system based on this traditional philosophy and wisdom. The results indicate that the Ben Shen (本神) concept and theory from the Inner Classics (内经) have significant implications for the treatment of mental health with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Body Clock Reset for Your Circadian Rhythm

Published on Sakara S LIFE MAG • January 16, 2017

No coffee before 7, breakfast by 9, siesta at lunch, sex at dinner and lights out by 11. Your body already knows the best time to digest, detox, work, and sleep. If you want to be your healthiest self, you might want to start following this clock too.

All your organs are following schedule, all the time – and this prevails even if you’ve set yourself up to follow a schedule of your own. So it’s safe to say no sustainable health reset program would be complete without pressing the reset button on your internal clock, too. In a month of renewal like January, expand your focus: how can you get your body back to its natural rhythm? How can you reset your whole being – not just your digestive system?

Our bodies have a rhythm. Science calls this a ‘circadian rhythm’ that determines the patterns of our brain wave activity, hormones, cell regeneration and most biological activities. An interrupted circadian rhythm has been linked to medical issues, such as infertility, obesity, seasonal affective disorder, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. Following this rhythm has been shown to have a better chance at improved metabolism, detoxification, brain focus and immunity.

Yet before modern science existed, ancient systems like Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda observed these cycles and found that different hours of the day resonate with certain organs. The qi, or energy, in your body flows through the 12 meridians throughout the 24-hour clock, and it alternates between yin and yang peaks. If you support the energy of the organ at that time, it will flow smoothly. Disrupted energy flow can lead to health problems...  but you can also figure out the roots of them and see which organ needs more love by taking note of when you get that slump or symptom at the same time each day.

Getting synced up with the body’s rhythm can make health effortless – a lot of the time we’re working against our own clocks, and wonder why we struggle getting results. Don’t expect an overnight shift – it can take a few weeks to get back in sync as there are many different cycles the body follows. But when you do, you’ll feel the difference.

Here’s a general guide of how to live according to your body clock:

Gallbladder: 11pm -1am

Do: Sleep! Especially if you’ve worked out that day – your gallbladder plays a huge role in ridding your body of excess lactic acid. The gallbladder meridian is found alongside the side of the legs where the dreaded IT bands are: forget the foam rollers and make sure you’re regularly asleep at this time.

Don’t: Drink or eat. If you must be awake, take a moment to relax and do something self-affirming that makes you feel good. An epsom bath is a great idea if you’re up but aching from your workout.

Liver: 1am-3am

Do: Sleep. Many people wake up around this time feeling restless, or get night sweats – a major indication the liver is trying to get rid of excess heat or toxins. Make it a habit to be asleep in ‘liver’ hours the majority of the week. Ladies, the liver stores blood and plays a huge role in menstrual health. If your periods are less than comfortable, going to bed earlier can be a step towards balancing things out. 

Don’t: Drink or eat – this gives the liver too much to process, and not enough time to detoxify and regenerate.

Lungs: 3am-5am

Do: Sleep. Your lungs are the container for your life force, qi, prana etc. Give them the time they need to heal and regenerate so you can wake up feeling energized. They are distributing blood and energy to all your organs at this time. Many people dealing with grief will wake up in these hours. If you wake up coughing in these hours it could be an indication your lungs have been overloaded with a few too many pollutants, or simply that you are on the brink of a cold.

Don’t: Stay awake. If you’re partying, get away from the cigarette smoke and get some fresh air or practice some deep breathing.

Large intestine: 5am-7am

Do: Wake up! Drink water or a warm cleansing tonic. Go to the bathroom... this is your time to ‘let go’. If you’re constipated at this hour, Chinese Medicine says it’s the best time to do your enema / colonic at this time – to get your body more loose and in the habit of letting go of waste. Practice yoga, qi gong, breathing. Give your belly a massage. Take a shower, cleanse yourself.

Don't: Drink caffeine/coffee.

Stomach: 7am-9am

Do: Eat Breakfast. I’ve seen ex-breakfast-skipping patients drop pounds of weight off by beginning to eat a regular healthy breakfast during these hours. In TCM, the strength of your stomach’s energy plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy weight – let it do its thing by giving it something to metabolize at the time it is most active. Remember - your stomach is a muscle! Its job is to digest and break down food. If you don’t give it any food during its peak hours, it may begin to loose some muscle memory and become weaker. Take a moment to ground yourself before diving into your to-do list. Go for a short stroll if you can.

Don’t: Skip breakfast. I know not everyone is hungry at this time – but have something small (lack of hunger in this peak hour could be an indication of a weak Stomach energy or a low metabolism). Don’t worry or over-think about your day now – the stomach (and spleen) correspond to the emotion of worry and anxiousness, and use the same energy to chew over both your thoughts and your breakfast. Pick one (we suggest the latter).

Spleen: 9am-11am

Do: Get stuff done. Make plans. Do work that requires you to stay grounded and focused. Have a warming tea. Craving sweets at this time or feeling bloated could mean your spleen is out of balance.

Don’t: Eat much. Get bogged down by the details or over-thinking, keep things moving and try not to loose momentum.

Heart: 11am-1pm

Do: Eat a grounding lunch. Siesta! Take a break or go for a little walk. Do some calm breathing.

Don’t: Work out too intensely, drink caffeine, engage in stressful discussions or big meetings – these are all far too ‘heating’ for the fiery heart and can raise blood pressure too high.

Small Intestines: 1pm-3pm

Do: Get back to business - the small intestine works to separate and distribute digested nutrients, and you should also use this time to get organized and productive.  Drink water. If you feel dehydrated at this time, it’s usually an indication you have not drunk enough fluids throughout the day. Take your vitamins, and snack on your super foods! The small intestine loves soaking up super nutrients for you.

Don’t: Eat too much, drink coffee or forget to stay hydrated.

Bladder: 3pm-5pm

Do: Work on important projects. This is a really efficient time to work since energy and blood flow are actively into the brain along the bladder meridian. If you’re not feeling too perky - get hydrated. Support the bladder’s detoxifying function by drinking hot tea and lemon water to help things flow out of the body... Also a good time to journal any stuck feelings and emotions.

Don’t: Drink alcohol or caffeine. Have sweets. If you’re feeling sluggish at this time, it could be an indication that yeast or candida are living in your body.

Kidneys: 5pm-7pm

Do: Have a healthy, grounding dinner. Drink a little wine if that’s your thing, and make love. It will keep your kidney essence nice and strong. This could be a great time to workout (only if you’re not burned out from the day) since cardiovascular efficiency and muscle strength peak.

Don’t: Get too drunk. If you’re feeling weak and debilitated, it could indicate your adrenals are tired or your sexual organs are out of balance and maybe could use a break from overuse…

Pericardium: 7pm-9pm

Do: Meditate. Stretch. Yin Yoga. Relax. Light reading. Get ready for sleep – this is a fire-element organ system that is best supported with soothing and cooling activities. Soak your feet in hot water to cool the body, ground your energy and get your blood flowing.

Don’t: Think too much, watch scary things, or snack on sweet things.

Triple Burner: 9pm-11pm

Do: Begin to go to bed. Sleep. Adjust this for the seasons – go to bed closer to 9pm in the winter, and later in the summer. Sex and fertility are also favored at this time if you are feeling calm and content.

Don’t: have sex at this time if you’ve eaten or drunk too much, or feel stressed. Don’t work or stay outside if the weather is cool.

Eating for Your Blood Type

Featured on Dr. Peter D'Adamo's Eat Right For Your Type • September 27, 2016

We know by now that fad diets are not sustainable or good for us, but could eating for your blood type be a healthy framework to use for health?

The admirable thing about eating for your blood type is that it recognizes that not every body is created equal. Ancient medical systems like Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine are rooted in this idea – they are holistic systems that work with each individual body as its own mini universe. Longevity and health comes from working with the body, and giving it exactly what it needs according to its genetic predispositions, but also to the given season or time of day.

The basic idea that most longstanding holistic theories agree on is: Eat what YOU need.

So from a Western perspective, one’s blood type could be a perfect place to start discovering what that is. This method has been around for over 50 years. What’s behind it? The concept that blood type could act as a window on genetic make-up. The theory behind eating for your blood type is based upon the scientific fact that the genes in our blood type are also responsible for the expression of proteins in our body – and this can be a large determinant in how we digest certain foods. This idea has also been widely accepted and implemented by many naturopathic doctors and Eastern Medicine physicians.

The naturally-occurring toxins in most foods, lectins, can cause cells to agglutinate in our bloodstream. Lectins are blood-type specific, which could be one explanation for how one person’s medicine could be another’s irritant. Eating foods with incompatible lectins could cause inflammation and effects such as problems digesting, absorbing nutrients, and damage to the gut-wall. The most known example of this is how gluten lectins have been found to be a cause of celiac disease. Likewise, eating foods compatible with one’s blood type has been found to be highly beneficial to the body’s overall function.

So if this knowledge could allow nutritionists and dieticians to make scientific and objective dietary advice based on each patient’s specific physiology, perhaps this simple form of personalized nutrition could be a great departure from one-size-fits-all dietary models and weight-loss fads.

Let’s take a closer look at what eating for your blood type could mean for each individual.

The basic blood types we find in today’s population are O, A, B, AB. With each blood type, we find certain genetic predispositions, character traits, and food tolerances:

TYPE O

Blood-type O has been around since the hunter-gatherer days of our species, thus it is the oldest blood type.

Body: Type O people are said to be prone to high stomach acid, digestive disorders, low immunity or a slow metabolism/hypothyroidism.

Character: Confident, strong-willed, extremely hard-working, determined; thrives with activity and regular heart-pumping exercise to manage stress. They also seem to be more prone to mosquito bites!

To Eat: High protein diet of lean meats, fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables. It is said that type O’s have adapted to digest animal proteins without trouble, and have a more difficult time following a vegan diet because they are prone to deficiencies of vitamins found solely in animals, such as B12. An indication that a type O may benefit from some form of animal protein could be symptoms of fatigue, hypothyroidism, weakness, or weight gain. While it is said that type O’s thrive with clean forms of animal protein, those who wish to remain vegetarian are advised to monitor their protein intake and make sure it is sufficient, as well as decrease their carbohydrate intake. Olive oil, walnuts, seaweed, leafy greens, garlic, berries, ginger and green tea are also said to be beneficial foods for O’s.

To Avoid: Gluten, wheat grains, corn, dairy, legumes.

TYPE A

Type A’s are said to have an agrarian blood type – so plant-based Type A’s may be very much on the right track.

Body: Low stomach acid and weaker digestion; could be at a higher risk of blood clotting, heart-related diseases and some cancers, as well as low immunity if stress is not managed; susceptible to stressors and high cortisol levels if living an aggressive lifestyle.

Character: Competitive, outgoing, ambitious, impatient, analytical, inventive. To avoid internalizing stress, they benefit most from gentle, mind-body exercises such as yoga and tai chi.

To Eat: Plant-based! Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds are said to be the ideal diet staples for A’s because they thrive on a higher carbohydrate diet and do not have adequate stomach acid to digest animal proteins – nor do they require them to survive. (Organic, Non-GMO) soy based foods are best for Type A’s. Fish and some fermented dairy are said to be absolutely fine too.

To Avoid: Meat and dairy due to sensitive digestion and low stomach acid, and they should stick to a relatively low fat diet.

TYPE B

Type B is said to have evolved in the Himalayan highlands, and potentially in response to drastic climatic changes.

Body: Greater ability to adapt to altitude, sensitivity to stress and viruses. If eating incompatible foods, can develop fatigue, fluid retention, immunity disorders or hypoglycemia. They are said to have the best chance of bypassing or overcoming chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer!

Character: Highly adaptable to change. Passionate, strong, erratic, creative. Prone to stress and sleep disorders. Thrives with less-aerobic but mentally stimulating exercise, such as golf, martial arts, tennis, cycling, and hiking.

To Eat: A balanced diet. Fruits, green vegetables, some grains, eggs, low fat dairy, meats except chicken.

To Avoid: Corn, wheat, chicken, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, shellfish, most legumes and sesame seeds.

TYPE AB

And finally the ‘modern’, or most-recent blood type. AB is also the rarest, but shares some traits with both A’s and B’s.

Body: Strong immune system, can tolerate many food groups, but has sensitive digestion. AB’s with more B traits may find that they have higher stomach acid and meat tolerance, but it is incredibly specific to the individual. AB’s should pay more attention to appropriate food combining for optimal digestion of a variety of foods.

Character: Friendly, introverted, controlled, rational and adaptable, intuitive, spiritual. Manages stress and benefits most from a balanced, alternating exercise regime of both aerobic exercise and calmer mind-body practices.

To Eat: Mostly vegetarian, tofu, turkey, seafood, dairy, vegetables, cultured dairy.

To Avoid: Most meats, nuts and seeds, but can be eaten occasionally. Avoid smoked meats.

There are many factors that determine the appropriate nutritional requirements for each individual, but considering blood types as an expansion from the outdated macronutrient model of nutrition is one step in the right direction. If you have found limited or no results by dogmatically sticking to a certain diet, a more individualized approach like the blood type diet could definitely be a beneficial place to start. Many integrative colleagues of mine will agree that there are all too many Type O vegans out there experiencing chronic fatigue that is easily improved with dietary changes. So if you feel inspired, it might be worth getting to know your blood and your body better through this simple framework.

Summer Health According to Chinese Medicine

Published on Sakara S LIFE MAG • September 13, 2016

The typical reaction to summer heat involves a lot of cooling down with ice and AC. The reason summertime common colds are so common might have a lot more to do with these habits than the late nights and the seasonal alcohol intake. In fact, the way we respond to heat in the summer may have something to do with why we get weak, sick and fatigued in the winter time also.

On an intuitive level, cold should get rid of hot, right? Ice and AC do stop us from overheating in the same way that ice would put out a fire. But that’s exactly it, cold constrains heat, often in such an unnatural way that it can create imbalance in our health. In Chinese Medicine, we consider the energetic of ‘yang’ as a hot, firey, masculine energy that is just as crucial to our existence as its counterpart, ‘yin’, and both must be supported as the foundation of all energy in the body. According to Taoist principles, when the heat of summer is telling us to be more yang, we shouldn’t be obstructing and constricting this seasonal flow, but rather working with it.

Maybe there’s a reason we see populations with some of the hottest climates like India drinking tea all day, instead of iced coffees. Back to that ice extinguishing a fire image: if your stomach is your internal fire — digesting and metabolizing everything you eat — shouldn’t you keep it burning? Traditional systems like Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda believe these cold extremes in our diet and environment are the culprit of weak digestion, weight gain, impaired immunity, nutrient absorption and circulation and disturbed bowel function. Taking your drinks warm or at room temperature will even cool you down more quickly since less energy is needed to bring you back into homeostasis.

The same goes for food. Since the stomach is most active each morning between 7-9am according to the TCM 24 hour clock, you might consider skipping the frozen smoothies and starting your day with something more warming. A little ginger tea is your best friend on summer mornings, when yang energy is at its peak. Evening is the time when you can use cooler foods to nourish your ‘yin’ energy. Chinese theory proposes cooler foods like daikon radish and asparagus as the sun goes down, to follow the cooling of the day.

And as for the part that nobody wants to hear: turn down the AC. The all too frequent and quick transitions we make from outdoor heat to blasting air conditioning pose a shock to the body in many ways. The blood vessels begin to constrict at lightening speed, causing a strain on the heart — the organ that rules in the summertime (when heart-attacks most commonly occur for this reason). The lungs suffer from the contrasting air temperature they are breathing in, which eventually promotes the notorious summertime cold, made worse by immune-suppressing quantities of drinking and summer festivities. Finally, when the warm weather is opening your pores, stepping into an air-conditioned room blocks them and locks cold energy into the body. It’s all going against the flow of energy, which wants to go up and outwardIn Chinese Medicine, a little sweating is considered natural and healthy in the summer, as it means the body is detoxifying. Let it do its thing.

This awareness and honor of the natural seasons is a foundational concept in Classical Chinese Medicine. It is understood that the root of illness in any season is often caused by how you treated your body the season before that. If we use natural healing as a tool to work with nature’s yang energy in the summer, the body benefits year round. The transition into Autumn — the season ruling the lungs and respiratory system in TCM — will allow us to maintain our health easily amongst seasonal bugs, with just a little preventative care.

September 13, 2016

Modern Farming, GMO’s & The Future of our DNA

Published on Love Grace Blog • August 23, 2016

It is well known that a mother’s health and diet directly affect the development of her child. Pregnancy is commonly the only time we are taught to consider how our personal habits will impact a future generation, and typically the only time we internalize that sense of responsibility. It’s lesser known that the genes of your grandchildren begin to form the moment of your child’s conception too. And whether or not we procreate, what each of us put into our bodies today will determine the health and biology of future generations and our planet in more ways than we think.

To understand what we are putting in our bodies, we must first understand how that food grows. On a large scale, agriculture has taken a departure from natural methods and we’ve seen how industrial farming methods and fertilizers negatively impacts our environment and soil. We’ve all heard that GMO’s are ‘bad’, but the monopolized monoculture is not just detrimental to the environment. There is a growing body of research on the health risks of GMO’s, herbicides and other common faming chemicals such as Glyphosate, that have been proven in numerous studies to impact human health by causing nutritional deficiencies and systemic toxicity. 

Research has shown these chemicals to be a key factor in the development of western chronic diseases such as cancer, MS, Parkinson’s, autism and several others. Studies on Genetically Engineered crops have also shown unprecedented, bizarre mutations in both animals and humans. A well-known study done on rats showed a significantly higher mortality rate in baby rats born to mothers who had consumed GM soy – and the surviving rat babies experienced some of over 400 gene mutations such as significantly stunted growth. Unfortunately, such herbicides are widely used on almost all US conventional and GMO crops. If this stuff is getting into our bodies, and we’re reproducing, the consequences will be widespread. 

If the health of our species and our planet were at the forefront, our farming methods would be sustainable, regenerative and biodynamic. While such farms exist, governments heavily subsidises industrial farms that grow the very crops used in the ultra-processed foods that contribute chronic disease instead, like soybeans and corn. The more we support these methods, albeit to the benefit of these corporations’ profit margins, the sicker we make ourselves and our environment. 

The future of life on our planet is affected by the choices we are each making several times a day: what we eat, and were we eat from. The further that these depart from the earth, the more extreme the disharmony we are feeding in our own bodies and for the generations ahead of us. 

By embracing and leveraging nature, we can become more in harmony with it. Regardless of how chemically polluted our world may become, nature still grants us accessibility to all the solutions we need to allow the body to repair. We all have the opportunity to re-wire our immune system and strengthen the body to adapt and defend itself from our modern threats. The body is wired for resilience in any case, and inevitable exposure to some glyphosate will be more tolerable to a body with a healthy terrain and properly functioning detoxification systems. When we’re in a dynamic state of balance, the load can never get too heavy. 

Catabolism is a key way to lighten the load of toxic accumulation, and the most accessible ways we can practice this is through exercise and fasting. Daily movement can mobilize toxins out of the body and free our lymphatic system and bioenergetic meridians from stagnation. Likewise, avoiding food when the sun is down and practicing fasting periodically in periods of low stress can effectively boost autophagy and the removal of debris from the body.

Building a relationship with soil and natural microbes is also an important way to support a healthy, diversified microbiome in your gut and consequentially a thriving immune system. Spending time in nature is also regenerating and detoxifying, as contact with the earth’s negative ions extracts toxins from our bodies. This connection with the earth can be practiced by a barefoot walk on the beach or an afternoon spent gardening.

Finally, we need to nourish ourselves properly. It is not natural for the human body to eat poison, nor accumulate it. How we fuel ourselves has a huge impact on how efficiently we build immune resilience on a day-to-day basis. We ought to be nourishing the body with raw materials that it can use to self-repair: fresh, whole, organic, seasonal, and wild growing foods. Focus most on where each ingredient comes from. Supporting your local farmers when you shop for your family is a big step in the right direction.

By making these choices for ourselves, we support sustainable and regenerative agriculture, which is the most effective way to help repair the broken food system, and thus provide many big solutions to chronic disease, healthcare costs and environmental problems. In fact, it is a foundational step to solving all of these global concerns, and one that can be moved by the people from the ground up.

2016 | 2020 Updated Version.

The Root of Emotional Imbalance in Your Organs

Published on Sakara S LIFE MAG • May 3, 2016

The mind and the body are inseparable.

Ancient Eastern civilizations have long understood the way our mental and spiritual bodies inform our physical nature. Western science too has begun to understand the interdependence between the emotional and physical body: we know the ‘gut’ acts as our second brain and that stress is pathological.

In fact, every organ corresponds to the energy of a certain emotion, and every disease stems from an imbalance in an organ or its meridians (energy channels). This is a fundamental idea in Chinese Medicine. Many times a physical disorder linked to a certain organ actually stems from an imbalance in the emotion associated with that organ. The reverse could be true: an imbalanced organ can heighten the specific emotion experienced by an individual. It can become a vicious cycle.

All emotions are inevitable, physiologically normal and will not cause disease when they arise in daily life. Chinese medicine only considers emotions as pathological when they are repressed, contained, or expressed intensely, often, without control, or out of context.

There’s a lot we can do on an internal level to balance our emotional health in the framework of eastern medicine. My training in Yin Yang Psychology under Grandmaster Hong Liu taught me that it is not always enough to simply decide to participate in our emotional lives through awareness exercises and meditation. We can treat the organ systems on a physical level much more effectively by using ancient Energetic or Yin/Yang Psychology to address an individuals specific needs in a much more targeted way. To learn more about this approach, feel free to get in touch with me.

Likewise, there’s a lot we can do on a physical level to support our emotional health, which we’ll primarily discuss here: specific foods and herbs that resonate with each organ’s energy can be used to appropriately strengthen, tonify, and detoxify the organ to help facilitate the flow and recycling of emotions on subtle levels. 

GRIEF + DEPRESSION

Grief is the emotion of the lungs and the large intestine, organs associated with the metal element. Loss of any kind will often trigger a cold, a feeling of being energetically drained, and/or difficult bowel function. Grief can stay with us for a while, and when it remains chronically unresolved it weakens the lung and large intestine energy making us more prone to depression and an inability to ‘let go’ of things. This can eventually interfere with lung function and oxygen circulation, since our lungs control the flow of energy in our bodies. Nutrition that supports the metal element is acrid, moving and dispersing in nature.

To Balance: pungent flavoured and/or white colored foods and herbs. Onion, radish, mustard greens, daikon radish, scallions (white part), almonds, white meat, white rice, white beans, white mushrooms, gingko nut, white mustard seed, ginger, pears.

Reduce: dairy, citrus, rich, processed or fatty foods that cause congestion.

FEAR 

Fear is the emotion of the kidneys and the bladder, organs associated with the water element. Fear is a normal adaptive emotion that evolutionarily has saved us from threat, but can cause chronic stress and elevated cortisol when we ignore it. Kidney issues often arise when we are dealing with fear, such as a change in life direction or unstable living conditions. When we experience extreme fright, our kidneys struggle to stabilize and we can quite literally pee our pants (as seen in ‘stage fright’). Nutrition that balances the water element has a descending energetic that supports us in cultivating a sense of grounding and courage. 

To Balance: salty flavoured and/or black colored foods and herbs. Black beans, walnuts, black sesame, mushrooms, water chestnuts, seaweed, blackberries, black tea, goji berries, lotus seed, cordyceps black rice, purple yam, rehmannia root. 

Reduce: cheese, salt, heavy meat, sugars, excessively cooling foods

WORRY + NERVOUSNESS

Worry is the emotion of the spleen and the stomach, organs associated with the earth element. Too much pensiveness, worrying and insecurity can weaken our ability to digest. When we are anxious, we find it hard to digest and accept a situation or life event. Lack of trust and ease towards the experiences and the foods we take in to our lives will make it equally difficult for us to let them in to nourish us. This can make us feel tired, lethargic, and unable to concentrate: a bit of a paradox, too much mental stimulation can actually cause mental heaviness. A weak spleen can also be the cause of stubborn weight problems, which get further worsened by extreme dieting and irregular eating. Nutrition that supports the earth element is warming, sweet and harmonizing in nature.

To Balance: sweet flavoured and/or yellow, orange, brown colored foods and herbs. Root veggies! Carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, squash, chestnuts, fig, taro, liquorice root, ginger root, jujube dates, honey, ginseng, astralagus.

Reduce: meats, salads, smoothies, cold, raw, and all frozen foods, iced drinks, refined sugars and grains.

ANGER + FRUSTRATION

Anger is the emotion of the liver and the gallbladder, organs associated with the wood element. Emotions like rage, fury or aggravation can indicate that this energy is in excess, and when we experience these emotions consistently, our liver can get further damaged. At this point, headaches and dizziness can be experienced often. An imbalanced gallbladder can be caused by longstanding feelings of repressed anger, such as resentment, frustration, and irritability. On the flipside, a gallbladder imbalance can manifest as indecisiveness and timidity. Nutrition that supports the wood element is sour in nature.

To Balance: sour flavoured and/or green colored foods and herbs. Dandelion greens, beetroot, green bell pepper, peas, sprouts, bok choy, string beans, cabbage, zucchini, mung beans, avocado, citrus, bergamot, buddha’s hand, milk thistle, goji berry, vinegar.

Reduce: dairy, crabmeat, alcohol, fried foods, peanuts, and excess citrus.

HAPPINESS + JOY

Joy is the emotion of the heart and the small intestine, organs associated with the fire element. When we experience true joy and happiness, we are nourishing our heart and small intestine energy. When they are balanced, we feel mentally clear and able to process experiences. When we are lacking joy in our lives, the heart suffers and we can feel stuck, mentally chaotic, and have difficulty sleeping. Mania or obsessive joy can indicate excess scattered heart energy, and can be the cause of more severe mental emotional disorders. Over stimulated heart energy could also cause agitation, insomnia and palpitations: even the good emotions can be out of balance. Nutrition that supports the fire element is bitter and cooling in nature. 

To Balance: bitter flavoured and/or red colored foods and herbs. beet, tomato, okra, cherry, watermelon, broccoli rabe, bitter melon, lettuce, arugula, dandelion, berries, chillies (in moderation), green tea, lotus root, sour jujube seed, hawthorn berries, garlic.

Reduce: excess spicy foods, caffeine, coffee, chocolate, sugar, salt, vinegar.

ANXIETY

Anxiety can have one of four origins according to TCM:

If related to the lungs and large intestine (metal), qi blockage can provoke shallow and irregular breathing or even holding of breath. The large intestine can be detrimentally affected by anxiety, making one more prone to issues like ulcerative colitis and IBS.

Kidney and bladder (water) issues could also be at the root of this emotion. Our adrenals regulate our stress response and when adrenal problems become chronic, they can cause anxiety. TCM recognizes the adrenal glands as the same as the kidneys. Anxiety can also be caused by disharmony between the kidneys and a blazing heart fire, in this case rapid heart palpitations are experienced.

Anxiety can stem from liver (wood) imbalance too, when longstanding anger and irritation goes unresolved. In this case anxiety manifests as nervous tension, irritability, and insomnia.

Anxiety from excess worry and pensiveness stems from spleen and stomach (earth) imbalance. This can cause excess rumination and stomach swelling and bloating after eating.

General anxiety aids: cooling foods to build yin, mulberries, longan berries, jujube dates, celery, valerian, chamomile, pearl extract.

Reduce: caffeine, stimulants, alcohol, cinnamon.

*Chinese herbs are more effective in formulas than alone. Always check with a trained TCM physician before taking anything new. Foods should not be restricted to these suggestions, they are simply a guide!

Ayurveda: Intro to Traditional Indian Healing

Published on Love Grace Blog • March 11, 2015

“No matter how much it gets abused, the body can restore balance. The first rule is to stop interfering with nature.”

– Deepak Chopra

What if we could heal our bodies without chemical medications, strict diets and forced willpower? Ayurveda says that we can. Literally translated into “life science”, Ayurveda is India’s traditional holistic medical system that enables us to gain awareness about our bodies as a way of healing.

Ayurveda teaches that health is a state of physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. When we fall out of balance and into any type of ‘dis-ease’, the body has the capacity to heal itself. Balance is regained by understanding how the body works, internally and with relation to the outside world.

We use nature as a way of understanding the body as a mini universe; the five elements, (earth, fire, water, air, ether) are present in the body just as in the natural world. Our energetic consitution is made up of three ‘doshas’, “Vata, pitta, kapha”, that correlate to specific elements, bodily organs and functions, characteristics. These characteristics are found in nature, and heightened in specific seasons and times of day.

So we are each a result of all three doshas working together, but one or two of them are usually predominant – you’ll get an idea of which that is for you below. Here’s a brief overview of the elements that compose our bodies:

Vata

Elements: Air + ether. 

Qualities: Cold, dry, and light.

Season: Fall, early winter. 

Time of Day: 2-6 am/pm. 

Stage in Life: Post menopause (Age 60+).

Functions: Movement, circulation, elimination, breathing, digestion, metabolism, pulse.

Physical: Very tall or very short, thin, small frame, dry/brittle hair, nails, darker skin.

Psychological: Creativity, energy, alertness, joy, speech, fleeting, multi-tasking, quick to understand, quick to forget.

Imblanance: Restlessness, fear, anxiety, insomnia, impulsivity, cold intolerance, poor circulation, weight loss, arthritis.

General Vata Pacifying Guidelines: Eat warm, heavier foods and spices with naturally sweet, salty, sour tastes. Keep warm, calm and rested, avoid extremities. Avoid cold, raw food. Eat fermented foods. Add more high quality fats and oils to diet. Strength or resistance training and gentle exercise. Stay grounded and serene through a regular routine and mindfulness based practices.

Pitta

Elements: Fire + water. 

Qualities: Hot, oily, light.

Season: Summer, late spring. 

Time of Day: 10-2 am/pm. 

Stage in Life: Puberty > menopause (Age 18-60).

Functions: Body heat, temperature, digestion, absorption, assimilation, metabolism.

Physical: Medium height, moderate muscle tone, pale/reddish complexion, red/brownish hair, sharp eyes, soft skin.

Psychological: Sharp perception, intelligence, understanding, ambitious, strong/excessive appetite, perfectionistic.

Imbalance: Anger, irritability, hate, jealousy, heat intolerance, excessive body heat, aggressiveness, hormone imbalance, acne, nausea.

General Pitta Pacifying Guidelines: Favor cooling, foods with naturally astringent, bitter, sweet tastes. Keep mind and body cool, avoid working in hot environments, and exercising at midday. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and stimulants. Add coconut oil, coconut water and aloe vera to diet. Eat in a peaceful environment, at routine times. Moderate exercise, yoga. Practice surrendering and relaxation, avoid overworking.

Kapha

Elements: Earth + water. 

Qualities: Cold, heavy, damp.

Season: Late winter, early spring. 

Time of Day: 6-10 am/pm. 

Stage in Life: Childhood > puberty (Age 0-18).

Functions: Stability, immunity, energy, lubrication of joints and skin, wound healing, biological strength, vigor.

Physical: Well developed, broad frame, thick skin, fair complexion, soft oily skin, thick dark soft hair, large dense eyes.

Psychological: Forgiveness, calmness, love, steady appetite, slow movement, deep sleeping, tolerant, good memory.

Imbalance: Attachment, greed, lethargy, weight gain, slow metabolism, weak immunity, sinus congestion, allergies.

General Kapha Pacifying Guidelines: Favor warming, light, dry, stimulating foods with naturally pungent, bitter, astringent tastes. Start day with hot water and lemon. Get active from 6-10am. Eat small quantity meals. Get regular exercise. Add plenty of warming spices to meals/teas, especially ginger. Use honey as only sweetener. Stimulate your mind with new experiences, avoid clinging to routine.

When an energy is predominant in our minds, bodies or in a season, we make choices that have an opposite effect. Ayurveda gives us a model of how to live in tune with our own nature simply by expanding our awareness of ourselves. We are liberated from trying to figure out what’s “healthy”; our mind-body nutrition becomes personalized.

We need awareness to strengthen our connection to our bodies and to the outside world. We need to align with nature to let the body function with ease. From there we can drop the struggle to fix things, and from our center it becomes more effortless to make the best choices for ourselves. And our bodies thank us.

Healthy Winters according to Chinese Medicine

Published on Sakara S LIFE MAG • January 15, 2015

Winter season affects the human body just as it does every other part of nature. Our organs function differently, and our bodies respond to the change in energy whether we acknowledge it or not.

Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that we are still able to thrive in this season if we know how to observe the natural changes and work with the different energy. Then it cannot work against us, and our internal environment finds harmony with the external. This is a core concept in the ancient philosophy of Taoism upon which TCM emerged from.

In TCM, winter is the season that rules the kidneys, and the element of water: it is a ‘yin’ season that rules the darker, colder, slower and more internal energy. So it’s the most important time to look after our kidneys, and make sure our bodies stay balanced and don't fall too deeply into a yin state. 

Kidney Energy is the root of our ‘essence’ according to TCM: our most basic and fundamental energy. It controls the immune system, bones, bone marrow, brain, body fluids, sexual energy and reproduction. From a biomedical.standpoint it also corresponds to the function of our adrenal glands. Our longevity and ability to delay the ageing process is greatly determined by how well we balance kidney energy.

Things like dehydration, mineral imbalance, and excessive behaviours weaken our kidney energy. We should be drinking more hot liquids, balancing salt and mineral intake, and balancing the quantities and types of foods we eat. It is also important to monitor adrenal load by addressing behaviours that contribute to chronic stress and energy taxation.

When things get too yin, we need to add back some yang. Yang energy is warming and stimulating, and foods that nourish our yang energy are essential to supporting kidney health in a season where kidney yang gets depleted. An excessively yin body is a cold body: the kind of environment that undesired microbes love. Research confirms that a higher body temperature can tremendously increase immunity, strengthen the endocrine system and boost the body’s basal metabolic rate.

So the perfect foods for this season nourish our kidney yin and yang: black beans, black mushrooms, black sesame seeds, blackberries, black tea (kidney energy corresponds to the colour black); walnuts, seeds, asparagus (bitter foods balance the kidneys); and some seaweed (moderate salt and mineral intake). Cut back on sugars (nature doesn’t grow many sweet fruits in this season for a reason), and excessively cooling foods like salads. Give your body what it really needs: warming, grounding, nourishing foods. It seems intuitive enough, right?

It is also important to look after our lower body specifically, as it is the yin part of our anatomy. Because warmth is important for health, it’s a great idea to incorporate hot foot soaks into your bedtime routine. Add some warming spices and essential oils like ginger for extra warmth and stimulation!

Finally, balancing kidney energy goes beyond the physical plane: it is essential that we balance our emotions too. The emotion of fear relates to the kidneys and a body holding too much fear can weaken the organs just us much as improper nutrition can. Living with adrenal burnout,  chronic stress and anxiety and unresolved emotions weighs heavy on the kidney essence. The introspective winter energy offers us an opportunity to slow down, reflect, meditate and tend to our more internal needs.  Your body wants you to slow down in winter, and when you let it, it will become stronger for you. A balanced body in tune with the natural environment is much more easily liberated from stagnant energy and imbalanced emotions.

So take extra care to balance stress levels, and make sure you are getting enough sleep: there’s a reason the days are shorter this time of year. Go to bed a little earlier, and also wake up a little later if you can – we give you full permission! 

There’s no need to expect colds, depression and boredom when winter hits: following natures changes and adapting a little is all it takes to maintain vibrancy and health this season.