Summer is the season of long days, abundant energy and lots of daylight. It is considered the ‘fire’ element and is the most active (yang) time of the year. It’s the best time for activity and movement. Your body has a higher metabolism in the summer, circulation is at its best and now is the time to get outside and move your muscles! The heart, mind, and spirit are ruled by the fire element. To live in accordance with the seasons, now is the time to reach outwards, spend time in nature, nourish your mind and move your body. In Chinese medicine the heart is associated with mental activity and a healthy heart improves memory, ability to learn and emotional well being. When the fire element is in balance, the heart is strong and healthy, the mind is clear and joy comes easily. When the fire element is imbalanced, there is apathy, anxiety, fuzzy thinking and restless sleep with vivid dreams. In Chinese Medicine the best ways to nourish the body during summer months: Wake earlier in the morning Rest in the midday (when sun is highest) Don’t go to sleep with a full stomach Drink plenty of fluids Eat cooling foods Spend more time outdoors and in nature Cooling foods help the body cool down and adjust to high temperatures: Watermelon Apricot Cantaloupe Peach Bamboo Broccoli Cucumber White mushroom Snow peas Spinach Watercress Seaweed Cilantro Mint Dill Until next time, be well and think...
I unfortunately see many people who are patiently awaiting knee replacements, hip replacements, shoulder surgery, and other pain alleviating procedures. It greatly upsets me that patients here in Victoria have to wait anywhere from 4-16 months for surgery depending on what they require. That is the state of our medical system (but that is for another rant!) and people are left with the responsibility of managing their pain while they wait. My role as a Registered Acupuncturist is to ease the pain until they get a surgery date. In many cases acupuncture can reduce the pain quite significantly but if a joint is at the point of needing to be replaced then the pain relief may only be temporary. The relief can last anywhere from days to weeks depending on what the severity is. It is always worth trying a series of acupuncture treatments. Most patients find they get significant pain relief with no side effects. My recommendation to anyone who is stuck in this situation is to first do as much as you can to manage the pain, and second follow up with your doctor/surgeon to see if there are any cancellations and to confirm you are still on “the list”. I mainly wrote this article to share this link with you that shows approximate wait times for all different types of surgery in BC....
Menopause-related hot flashes can make life difficult. It’s hard to know when they will hit but when they do it can be uncomfortable and upsetting. Now that summer is creeping up and the weather is getting warmer, hot flashes can really become a bother. Try to keep track of when you get them so you can identify the trigger, for example where you were, what you were doing and what you ate. Stress is one of the top triggers for hot flashes. When you feel one coming on, try to stop what you’re doing, slow down and take a break. Prepare in advance and give yourself more time to get places so you don’t have the added stress of rushing. Other common triggers include alcohol, caffeine, spicy and/or sugary foods, large servings of meat, smoking and over-eating. One of the best things you can do is to find ways to reduce your stress level. Acupuncture is another way to reduce menopause-related hot flashes. Acupuncture can help to balance your hormones and reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms. Many people also notice an improvement in sleep and mood after only a few treatments. Drinking more water and eating lots of leafy greens can also help your symptoms. In Traditional Chinese Medicine foods are used as medicine and classified based on the effect they have on the body. There are certain foods which are known to have a cooling effect. Below is a list of some cooling foods you may want to eat more of during the summer months! cucumber cantaloupe watermelon celery spinach broccoli...
I hope you have been enjoying the summer weather as much as I have! We were planning on starting the Fall Qi Gong session in September but unfortunately we will be postponing it until the new year. As you may know, I have relocated my clinical practice and I don’t have the Wednesday evening time available right now. Currently, we are hard at work creating new “products” including a new Qi Gong DVD. We are considering a digital version that can be played on your computer, iPad, and smartphones as well as a physical DVD. In the meantime, if you have learned a little bit of Qi Gong already be sure to practice regularly. Short, regular sessions of practice will yield better results than longer infrequent sessions. Even the “Opening Exercise” is enough to relax the body, and energize the mind. If you haven’t already you can sign up for our newsletter here to receive short articles, recipes, videos and to keep in touch with us. If you are looking for a quick 5 minute meditation to do while you are at your desk, or before going to bed you can try this one out. The guy speaking kinda has a funny voice though (okay…it’s me!) ~Think...
We all know that exercise is good for you, but did you know that it’s also good for your digestive and gastrointestinal health? Yes, that’s right…exercise can be like a good dose of probiotic. New research has shown that exercise can actually increase the diversity and abundance of healthy bacteria in the stomach and intestines. Gastrointestinal bacteria are involved in a multitude of processes that take place in our body. They contribute to proper digestion, nutrient absorption, ulcer prevention, and a healthy immune system. Lower levels of bacterial diversity in the gut is associated with reduced health outcomes. Most of us are aware that diet can influence gastrointestinal microbiota, but it’s pretty amazing that exercise can also contribute to a healthy digestive tract. Another reason to get out and active this...
