Summer and the time for Joy, Why am I so anxious? by Julia

Summer and the time for joy/ Why am I so anxious?

– by Julia Holloway

Summer has arrived in Seattle and with it comes the rush of fun, friendship, sun and everything we’ve wanted to fit into our social lives all year.  It feels like a frenzy of emotions and desires and plans. Already it feels as though you’re running out of time and you’re acutely aware that it will come to an end all too quickly.

In Chinese Medicine, Summer is associated with the element of Fire which is meant to illuminate our inner being, bring sparks to our creative energies and allow us to bask in the enjoyment of others.  Summer in Seattle specifically, means reckoning with light VERY early and light VERY late, with knowing this beautiful perfect weather must be taken advantage of and therefore not knowing how to rest. 

The truth is, the body has a hard time relaxing when it feels like our duty to take full advantage of this northern light. What I notice with most of our clients here at The Pin Cushion is a mix of excitement coupled with complete and total exhaustion, leading to some form of anxiety.  Nobody can understand why she/they/he feel so tired or overwrought.  Well, let me be the first to tell you that this transition, though exciting, is tough because you are human and change is hard.   We want the energy to be able to say yes to all the invitations that beckon us to stay up, stay out, be creative, make plans and enjoy each other.  It is important to get support in helping our bodies transition into summer so we may fulfill our plans with ease, breath, love and lightness. It’s the time for joy, the time to let it all bloom and let our best selves relax into it.

I invite you to come see any of our amazing practitioners here at The Pin Cushion for the perfect summer treatment that will help relax your system so you can truly enjoy this veritable paradise we live in.

See you soon!!

A Simple Message

By: Jeremy Gilsoul


You know if you’re anything like me you’ve had an emotional outburst from time to time. You’ve probably experienced a searing sensation of anger, perhaps the weight of sadness, the emptiness of fear, even the bitterness of jealousy.

The problem with these emotions isn’t that you have them. The problem is that too many of us dwell in them and don’t understand what these emotions are telling us.

Allow me to digress for just a moment. We’re all familiar with Past, Present, and Future. These three concepts of time dominate so many of our lives and so much of our success or lack there of depends on our understanding of these concepts.

Far too many people are holding on to the past, carrying it like bricks through their lives. For others we are focused on the future, always trying to get somewhere else, planning, strategizing, preparing. And all the while we’re dwelling on the past or making preparations for the future we are not in the moment of the present. Which is the one and only place we can actually effect change and create action in our lives.

So now what about the emotional thing I was ranting about above you ask?

Well did you know that those emotions are based on the same three concepts?

I assure they are, think about it, it is not possible to be mad about the present. When you are angry all of your energy and thoughts are being focused on the past event that lead you to have anger. Sadness too is an emotion based on the past. Fear is an emotion based solely on the future. Fear is often described as an acronym meaning False Expectations Appearing Real. These are “what-if” scenarios that are rooted in wasted fantasy. Jealousy is interesting as it expresses both the past and the future. Being jealous of time not spent or an experience that has passed or of the those that have not yet occurred.

So what emotion can we experience in the present moment?

Happiness! Happiness is not something that lives in the past nor is it something that hides in the future, it is the understanding and the acceptance of the present moment and the expression of joy for being truly aware of it!

My message today is simple.

Waste no more time fighting your emotions or clinging to them. If you’re angry be so, then let it go and move on. If you’re sad express it and focus on the positive for it is there. If you’re full of fear confront it by realizing that most of your fears have never come true outside your imagination and that you’ve never been able to not handle every challenge you’ve encountered thus far. Do not succumb to jealous impulses for they do not serve you.

Happiness however, is a dish best served now!

Remember to and focus on laughing. Laugh hard and laugh often.

Remember to take a deep breath and look around, I assure you something is happening.

Are you paying attention? Remember that we’re not dying from the moment we’re born, we’re living! You only start dying when you fail to live in the moment!

Be well!

General Nutrition Suggestions for PMS

PMS is something that can be managed will with acupuncture and nutrition. Acupuncture can help with the smooth flow of qi and blood, while foods can help nourish deficiencies, replenish blood, and improve overall well being.

The suggestions given here are general recommendations that would be beneficial and healthy for most women. Much of this advice was taken from Paul Pitchford's book Healing with Whole Foods. (Find it at the Seattle Public Library or on Amazon)Please refer to it for further suggestions and specific ideas for other menstrual disorders.

Sufficient intake of essential fatty acids helps alleviates cramping and pain, and can improve mood as well.

Specifically, ALA (alpha linolenic acid) and GLA (gamma linolenic acid) are most beneficial.

Sources of ALA: green vegetables, chlorophyll rich foods such as spirulina and chlorella, cold-pressed flaxseed oil. DHA and EPA are metabolites of ALA and are predominantly found in fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines. Vegetarians can find flaxseed oil with algae sourced DHA/EPA added.

Sources of GLA: evening primrose oil, black currant oil, borage oil, and spirulina.

Iron helps replace blood lost during menstruation. Most animal products such as red meat, turkey, and sardines are plentiful in iron, and vegetarian iron-rich foods include lentils, beans, spinach, and again, spirulina. Most whole grains and dark leafy greens have at least some iron and it all adds up. Cooking in cast iron is another great solution.

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, so it's important to include to get the most nutritional value out of the foods you are eating. Almost all fresh fruits and vegetables have at least some Vitamin C, and especially good sources are bell peppers, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kiwi fruit, papaya, oranges, and strawberries.

Photo credit to Wikimedia Commons, Medical talisman for menstrual issues

Eczema & How Chinese Medicine Can Help

Signs & Symptoms

People with eczema have patches of skin that become inflamed, red and itchy. These patches can appear anywhere on the body. Eczema most commonly appears on the face, neck and the insides of the elbows, knees and ankles. Symptoms vary depending on the person and type of eczema, but typically include:

·         Dry, reddened skin that itches or burns

·         Blisters and/or oozing lesions

·         Dry and/or scaly, thickened skin

·         Moderate to severe itching

Three main pathogenic factors:

·         Wind: Characterized by sudden onset and development, change from one place to the other, and generalized itching

·         Dampness: Manifests as puffiness of skin, vesicles or papules and oozing of fluid

·         Heat: Tends to manifest as a burning sensation, redness and swelling

Eastern medicine’s approach to eczema is based in its understanding that the body is a holistic system. Everything from the conditions in your gut to the flow of Qi through the body’s main channels/meridians affects the health of the skin. For example, the lungs are primarily in charge of the skin’s health. Excess heat and dampness in the lungs are common causes of eczema. The spleen and stomach play similar roles in managing levels of heat and dampness on the skin. The liver also plays a role in eczema by its detoxification of blood. When blood has high levels of toxins, red itchy patches will become more inflamed. Eczema is a condition that’s triggered by allergens and is often seen in people who also suffer from asthma. Stress is also a major component of eczema, which leads to more flare-ups.

Through acupuncture, the Qi of these organ systems are balanced and allowed to flow freely to achieve optimum skin health. In addition to disruptions in Qi and toxin build-up, unhealthy or inappropriate diet contributes to skin problems. The health of the gut is very strongly correlated to the skin. Many people with eczema have reported that certain foods seem to trigger their condition while others don’t and vice versa. One option for eczema sufferers is eliminate inflammatory foods. When these foods are removed from the diet and inflammation is reduced, one will begin to see improvements in not just the skin, but in overall health and well-being. A healthier diet can make a big improvement in skin and allow you to achieve optimum health.

A great product to help with the red, itchy, dry symptoms of Eczema is Spring Wind Ointment that we carry here at our clinic.

Stayed tuned for more info on Eczema...
-By Alex Flores, EAMP

Summer Soltice: Maximum Yang

As we near the solstice, the yang qi of the environment is rising to its peak. In Seattle, a relatively cool and damp place, this is a great thing, however, depending on your constitution, it can be problematic. In particular, getting to sleep at a reasonable hour can be quite challenging, what with there being light in the sky passed 10pm. Part of the solution is to actually go to bed at your typical bed time even though there's still a significant amount of light: start your pre-sleep ritual at least 20-30 minutes before the time you want to get to sleep. Reading a bit before bed is a great way to stabilize the spirit so that it naturally settles in its abode of the Heart when you're finally ready to shut your eyes.
If you're performing your regular ritual at your usual bed time and still having difficulty sleeping, try a hot foot bath right before bed. The water is yin and the warmth is yang. This is an image of sleep: yang resting within yin; the warmth of the water helps guide the restless and excited yang qi down and into the yin, promoting the energetic qualities of natural sleep. Just remember to dry your feet before getting into bed!

Authored by: David Derdiger

Humanistic Medicine

A patient recently commented on the poster in our lobby and I thought our readers might be interested in seeing it, too*

Working Definition of Humanistic Medicine

The person cannot be seen simply as his disease nor can the health professional limit his expertise to medical technology. The full healing potential of their relationship often depends on their interaction as whole human beings and far exceeds the treatment of disease.
Every person achieves a unique interdependent relationship of body, mind, emotions, and spirit, inseparable from other individuals and society. Illness can best be understood as a disturbance within the dynamic balance of these relationships. Health may be defined as the harmony of the whole and the work of the health professional as aiding in the re-establishment of a more fully conscious equilibrium within the whole.
The person and the health professional are colleagues. Their collaboration activates the latent human and biological resources within the patient for healing. The patient is encouraged to be aware of his choices and become increasingly responsible for his own health, growth, and fulfillment.
Illness may provide an opportunity for personal growth. The experience of disease may be used creatively to re-evaluate life goals and values, provide clarity in setting priorities and mobilize previously untapped strengths. The health professional enables the patient to evolve a positive value from the experience of disease, to maintain identity and reaffirm dignity as a person.
Illness must be seen in the context of the life span of the individual. Indeed, it may have a unique meaning when seen in reference to the total life of the patient. Physical disease and emotional suffering have an individual message for each patient,  yielding information about such personal issues as lifestyle, self-worth, and the value of time. The knowledge gained through the understanding of this individual meaning may enable the patient to enrich the quality of his or her life.



*Of course Julie found it at Goodwill, she's got an amazing eye for bargains!

What to do for soft tissue injuries (Part 2 of 2)

So, if you're not supposed to slap ice on an acute soft tissue injury because it slows the metabolic rate and impedes the turnover of the initial, painful stage of inflammation into the cleanup and rebuilding stages, then what should you do?

In Chinese medicine, when an acute traumatic injury occurs there are four results: heat, blood stasis, fluid accumulation, and qi stagnation. The heat you can obviously feel with your hand and see from the reddened tissue; the blood stasis is evident in the bruising; the fluid accumulation is obviously seen with the swelling; the only thing not obvious to a lay person is qi stagnation, which to a practitioner of Chinese medicine is evidenced in this case by the experience of pain.

In Chinese medicine, lack of movement or impediment to the pathway of movement is the root of pain. In the case of a traumatic injury, the stagnation of qi and blood allows the fluids to accumulate and produces incredible heat, which is not only itself a source of pain, but further damages the blood and increases stasis. To treat this in Chinese medicine, we use herbs that clear heat, cool the blood, move blood stasis, and reduce fluid accumulation. These herbs are prepared in a way so they can be externally applied to the site of the injury, their medicinal properties absorbed through the skin, penetrating directly into the traumatized tissue.

A classical formula for this purpose is called San Huang San (“Three Yellows Powder”), and it primarily clears heat, cools the blood, and reduces fluid accumulation. The formula is often modified to include herbs that more strongly clear heat and invigorate the blood to hasten the process of turning the initial painful stage of an acute injury into healing. Such a modified version of San Huang San, called Ice-No-More is prepared in a natural alternative to petroleum jelly and ready to apply the moment after an injury occurs. Put on a layer 1/8”-1/4” thick, cover with plastic wrap (to prevent the staining of fabric), and leave in place for 24 hours. Look for Ice-No-More on the shelves at The Pin Cushion and keep it at home in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit. Stop putting ice on your injuries, start healing faster, and ensure an overall stronger tissue by using an acute-stage, heat clearing, qi and blood moving soft plaster like Ice-No-More, or any other Chinese medicine trauma liniment designed with the same intention.