Runner's Advantage with Acupuncture

There are 3 main things acupuncture will do for a runner.

1. Enhance your performance
2. Help your injuries heal more quickly, or prevent them from happening at all
3. Increase the longevity of your running career

How does acupuncture do this?

Acupuncture increases the circulation of blood and body fluids throughout your muscles and organs. This brings nourishment to your body, while also clearing out the metabolic waste.

Acupuncture also strengthens the health and integrity of the collagen in your body. Collagen is the protein that surrounds your muscles and organs. It is the glue that holds your body together. In Chinese medicine collagen has even more significance. Instead of being perceived as randomly occurring throughout the body, it has a matrix formed by channels called "meridians". These meridians are able to access every area of the body, from the more external muscles to your organs.
An easy way to visualize meridians and how they work is to compare to a highway or an electrical system. On a highway, everything moves along nicely until one lane is blocked, then everything slows. In an electrical system, if there's a break in the line, nothing after that break works. In your body, you want your "qi" (roughly translated as your life force), and body fluids to flow smoothly. By stimulating the collagen, acupuncture makes sure it is clear for this to happen. With your qi and body fluids flowing smoothly, your body is able to function healthily. You absorb and utilize nutrients more efficiently. So when you run, your body has everything it needs to perform at its highest potential.

No matter what you are specifically getting treated for, acupuncture has a few positive side effects that will enhance your overall health.

-Acupuncture reduces stress. When you are stressed, there is a lot of cortisol coursing through your body. This cortisol suppresses growth hormone, which is needed for healing.

-Acupuncture improves your sleep quality. It is during your sleeping hours that your body does a lot of maintenance and healing, from muscle repair to organ cleansing.

-Acupuncture boosts the immune system. This helps to reduce fatigue and will keep you from missing a run due to a cold or flu virus.

How many acupuncture treatments will you need?

Treatment protocols for acupuncture vary. It depends on if you are coming in for prevention and maintenance, or if you are treating an injury. There are many determining variables when treating an injury. How old you are, how active, severity of the injury, and how long ago the injury occurred all play a role in recovery time. An acute injury might only take a few treatments before you're back to your normal activity level. Something that has been a problem for awhile, (knee pain that started 5 years ago, for instance), will need a longer term of acupuncture. If you receive acupuncture treatments consistently for 6 weeks, you will know by the end of that time if acupuncture is going to work for you. The problem may not be completely resolved at that point, but there will definitely be encouraging signs of improvement by then.

Congee

In China, a popular food for comfort and health is Congee. Congee is a cross between hot cereal and soup. Though, we in the West would consider it more like gruel or porridge. Depending on what you add to the congee, it can be used to help many ailments. Rice congee is easily digested and assimilated, tonifies the blood and the qi, harmonizes the digestion, and is cooling. It is great to use when a person is recovering from sickness and for firming up a tendency to loose stool. Add ginger to help circulation. Add garlic to help lower cholesterol and boost overall health. Add onion, garlic, chicken, and vegetables for an immune boost.

Basic Congee Recipe: 1 cup of grain and 9 cups of water and 1 ounce (28 grams) of herb and 1-2 ounces of meat is the standard recipe. A crock pot would work well for the long cooking time.

Directions: Bring to a boil then turn down heat to the lowest setting, cook slowly and gently for 6 to 8 hours, it is done when the grains are completely broken down and it has a soupy, but thick, porridge consistency. A crock-pot is great to use for this as cooking on the stove often leads to rice sticking on the bottom of the pot.

Here are a few recipes to try out.

This Sweet Rice Congee is warming, nourishes the blood and tonifies qi; and is great during the winter season. It has also been used to enhance beauty and longevity.

• The sweet rice promotes the flow of liver Qi, which helps keep angry feelings at bay and leads to calmness.


• The Chinese dates nourish blood and spleen, promoting restful sleep and mental clarity.


• Longan fruit contain large amounts of Vitamin C and phenolic compounds, which may help to detoxify and protect the liver.

Sweet Rice Congee

(Taken from Ancient Healing for Modern Women, by Dr. Xiolan Zhao, C.M.D.)

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1 cup black sweet rice (wash before using)

½ cup dried longan fruit

10 Chinese dates

2 tablespoons raw sugar

½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions:

In a large heavy saucepan, add 6 cups of water, black sweet rice, longan fruit, dates, and raw sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with ginger. Makes four servings.

Congee with Chicken and Goji Berries

(from: http://appetiteforchina.com)

Serves 4 to 6, or 1 person fond of congee leftovers

1 cup short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken stock
6 to 8 cups water
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon salt
A dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
1 cup goji berries, rinsed and drained

1. In a medium to large pot, heat up the rice, stock, and water until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and replenishing water as necessary.

2. Half an hour before the congee is done, in a medium bowl mix together the soy sauce, Shaoxing, salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Add the chicken, turn to coat, and marinate in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

3. Ten minutes before the congee is done, cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a wok, add ginger and quickly stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Stir the chicken to the simmering congee. Simmer for another two minutes. Adjust the seasoning as necessary with salt and pepper. Toss in the goji berries, and give everything another quick stir. Turn off the heat, and serve the congee piping hot in individual bowls.

Vegetarian Congee


(from appetiteforchina.com Adapted from The New York Times)

Serves 6-8

1 cup short-grain rice
2 cups vegetable stock
6 to 8 cups water
5 or 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
Salt to taste
1 medium head of broccoli, cut into little florets
1 tablespoon scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Wash rice, and put it in a large pot with vegetable stock. Place over high heat until stock boils, then add about 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary (about 2 to 4 cups more.)

Soak 4 or 5 dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until softened. Remove stems and thinly slice. After congee has been boiling for half an hour, add mushrooms to pot, along with ginger, carrots, and a generous pinch of salt. When the congee is almost done, add broccoli florets. Salt to taste. Serve hot in individual bowls and garnish with minced scallions and peanuts.

Note: All ingredients are available at most Asian grocery stores.

Acupuncture and Smoking Cessation

It's a new year and with it, brings new goals and resolutions for 2011. I've already seen a couple patients come in for smoking cessation, so I thought it would be a great time to talk about the benefits of acupuncture for smoking cessation.

Tried to quit smoking in the past and haven't had luck? Try Acupuncture! Acupuncture can be an effective tool to use to quit smoking. Acupuncture can minimize cravings, calm the nervous system, and strengthen will power. By applying needles to five specific points on each ear, significant changes in your body’s internal functioning can be produced. Points are used to stimulate the kidneys, liver, and lungs; organs, which are responsible for eliminating the drugs still in your system. Two additional points for the central nervous system are used, to help with anxiety, mood swings, and other results of withdrawal. Acupuncture also helps to stimulate production of endorphins, which are tremendously depleted by any drug use. The end result of assisting the healing process and endorphin production is that the patient should feel less of the pain and discomfort of withdrawal and a decrease in cravings.

Treatment will help eliminate most cravings, but not the habit. The treatment is based on a protocol of 5 points in the ear. We may also put in a few body points depending on your pulse and any other symptoms you may be experiencing.

The following protocol is a simple but very effective treatment for any type of addiction.

The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Treatment protocol uses five specific ear acupuncture points for addiction treatment:

Sympathetic point: Balances sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and has a strong analgesic effect to alleviate anxiety and nervousness that can accompany withdrawal.

Kidney point: Tonifies the source energy and essence that is often damaged through chemical abuse. The point can also help resolve fear and increase the willpower needed to overcome addiction.

Liver point: Promotes repair of the liver from drug and alcohol abuse and aids in resolving anger and aggression.

Lung point: Strengthens the immune system and accelerates detoxification. Emotionally, it is associated with grief and letting go

Here is a plan one of our acupuncturists has developed that we like to follow:

Today is the start date, and you will quit smoking 10 days from now. In the next 10 days, you may smoke as often as you want, BUT, you may not do anything else while you are smoking. No driving, no tv, no email, no phone, no conversation. Your attention must be 100% toward the act of smoking. Smoke the strongest cigarettes you can handle for the first 5 days at your regular rate, and then move to ultralights for next 5 days while reducing your intake to half what it normally would be. All the while keeping your attention fixed exclusively on the act of smoking. Come in for acupuncture once or twice during this time period.

Once the 10 days are up- that's it, you're done. THROW OUT ALL CIGARETTES! Come in for acupuncture 3-4 times the first week, 2-3 times the second week, and 1-2 times the third and fourth week.

Make sure you have someone who can help support and encourage you along the way!

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help curb cravings!

Try to refrain from drinking coffee and alcohol, since they not only dehydrate the body but are usually accompanied by smoking

Try to decrease sugar, which will also increase cravings. Fresh produce and whole grains will help curb cravings

Manage cravings! Cravings feel like they will last forever, but actually fade in minutes. Plan what you will do during a craving. Repeat an affirmation, "I am a non-smoker", breathe deeply, take a walk, use visualization, call your support person, exercise........

Lisa Nicodemus LAc




The role of your spleen in digestion

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the most important organs in digestion is the spleen. The spleen has an incredible ability to adapt to our environment and help us get our needs met. The functions of the spleen are adaptation, nourishment, and support. These are expressed at a physiological, anatomical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level.

At the physiological level, the spleen helps with digestion, converting food into usable substances within our bodies and sending them to where they are needed. This function in Chinese Medicine is known as "transformation and transportation". The stronger our spleen function is, the better we are able to receive nourishment from our food.

At the mental level, the spleen governs our ability to study and concentrate, to process information. The spleen's function is to adapt both food and information into something we can use. Ever heard of the saying, "There's food for thought"? Ever eaten too much and then felt sluggish? Or notice you crave sweets when you are really stressed out or have a huge exam to cram for?

At the emotional level, the spleen in expressed through your ability to obtain and give emotional nourishment and support. When our needs are met, we feel nourished and supported. When they are not, we sometimes turn to comfort foods.

At the anatomical level, the spleen governs the fascia and soft tissue in our body. When our fascia are relaxed and not constricted, body movements and digestion are smooth and easy. Our fascia and tissues become tense or relaxed in direct response to the emotions we hold onto.

Ever lost your appetite when you are worried or anxious about something?

So how to we strengthen our spleen, or better yet, how do we improve how our body absorbs and distributes the nutrients we take in everyday?

First make sure you are eating a broad and balanced diet! Second, consider our you are preparing your food. The process of digestion involves breaking food down into a "warm soup" in the stomach. Our spleen then "transforms and transports" the nutrients to the rest of our body. The spleen has to work extra hard and becomes strained/weakened when the food is very rich, raw, or cold. So to support our spleen in providing our bodies with the most nutrients possible, try to eat moderate amounts of rich food, chew all food well, and avoid too much cold foods/fluids. Raw foods are easier to digest the more finely it is chopped or grated, and when warm, pungent spices are added.

Here are some more general suggestions:

1) Enjoy and take time to eat! If we are stressed, unhappy, worried, or angry when we eat, our fascia and muscles are tense and constricted and our bodies don't digest and absorb all the nutrients from the meal. You might experience cramping, gas, bloating, burping, or diarrhea immediately after eating. Take time to sit down in a quiet place and enjoy the food you are eating!

2) Form a positive relationship with your food! Try not to think of food as "good" and "bad". Try not to eat "good" foods even if you don't enjoy them, but do so because you know you need to, and feel guilty when you eat "bad" foods. Once you have made the choice in what to eat, accept the food lovingly. Our attitude ti the food we eat will instruct our spleen on what to do with it.

3) Chew your food! The more you chew and break down your food in your mouth, the less work your digestive organs have to do! Chewing also warms cold/raw foods that you may eat before it enters your stomach.

4) When you are able to sit, relax, and become more aware of what you are eating, you are better able to assess when your stomach is full! The goal is to stop eating just before you feel full. When you overeat, a temporary line of food waiting to be digested is created (what we call stagnation!) Your body then uses all of its energy digesting food, and as a result, you feel tired and lethargic after eating. Overtime, our spleen becomes overstrained and eventually that stagnation of food becomes dampness and/or heat that accumulates throughout the body.

5) Try not to drink too much fluids during a meal. A little warm fluid with a meal is helpful, but too much dilutes the spleen's action and weakens digestion.

6) The digestive system needs warmth- think of your spleen as a fire- which is going to burn better- wet slaggy wood that has been snowed on or crisp dry wood? Too much raw or chilled foods/fluids overtime will weaken the spleen function to break down foods and can create dampness that accumulates throughout the body.

7) Eat like an Emperor in the morning and a Peasant in the evening. When you wake up, your body is running on empty and needs substantial nutrients to get you going in the morning. If you are already crashing by lunch time and looking for an afternoon siesta, you may need to re-evualte what you are eating in the morning. Try reaching for foods high in protein and carbs that have a low glycemic index. These foods release substantial energy over a long period of time to keep you going. (Oatmeal, whole grain cereals, eggs, peanut/almond butter, nuts, yogurt, etc) One the flip side, when you eat a huge meal at night, not only does your body have fewer hours to digest tar food, but our system is naturally slowing down towards the end of the day. The food ends up sitting in your digestive tract for longer, isn't best utilized in the body, and ends up creating stagnation, dampness, and heat in the body. This can lead to insomnia, increasing weight gain, as well as other things. By only changing the times you eat meals (not the daily calorie intake), you can drastically drop hard to lose pounds and increase your energy!

8) Aim to try to include as much fresh, local, seasonal produce in your diet as possible!

For more information on theTraditional Chinese energetics of food, check out "Helping Ourselves" and "Recipes for Self-Healing" by Daverick Leggett

Help! I have Seasonal Affective Disorder

Well it seems like an appropriate time to write about this as my friends and I are joking that we live in Mordor. It poured rain for the past 24 hours, nothing but rain in the forecast, and the shortest day of the year is fast approaching- December 21st- 8.5 hours of daylight. So what's a Seattlelite to do? How can we get through it? How did you guess, Traditional Chinese Medicine can help. Acupuncture helps to restore the balance between yin and yang and promote the movement of qi, thus preventing stagnation and its nasty symptoms. Winter is a time of yin stillness and restoration, and while this is an important cyclical aspect of nature, certain individuals struggle with the associated darkness. I will share more information that can help. I have included an explanation of SAD as discussed in Acupuncture Today, followed by some useful lifestyle tips. Hope this helps~

"Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression, is a debilitating problem that interferes with the quality of life of thousands of patients, especially during the fall, winter and early spring.

This syndrome seems to be a worldwide phenomenon and occurs cross culturally, especially in countries far from the equator. Clinical symptoms that reappear regularly with the seasonal changes include lethargy; difficulty concentrating; depression; negative thoughts; elevated cravings for carbohydrates with corresponding overeating and weight gain; hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness); tiredness in the morning; diminished libido; and decreased social interaction. Patients typically become more anxious by the end of the summer as they anticipate the coming months, during which less sunlight is present and their symptoms return.

Clinical experience reveals that patients may have other mental problems as well, such as substance abuse disorders, personality disorders and anxiety disorders, which as comorbdid conditions, further exacerbate the degree of the SAD patient's symptoms. Flaws and Lake define SAD as "a variant of bipolar disorder characterized by cyclic manic, depressive or mixed mood states that are somehow triggered by external clues to changing seasons, including principally, increased or decreased day length. Individuals with SAD tend to become depressed during the autumn months and manic during the springtime."¹ This is a complicated disorder that may accompany many severe illnesses such as cardiovascular and endocrine disease, and for which a patient should seek qualified professional help. Seasonal affective disorder does, however, respond well to treatment with Oriental medicine." Acupuncture Today, April 2003 by Skya Abbate

As a sun junkie somehow living and thriving in this soggy mess, I can appreciate the challenges of our winters. Here are some things to help get you through:

1) Receive regular acupuncture to boost and balance energy and support mood.

2) Exercise. In whatever way you can manage, and enjoy :)

3) Get outside. Put on your goggles, raincoat, ski boots, snowshoes, or not- and breathe in the fresh air and soak up any daylight you can.

4) If the sun comes out, so do you. Spend some time getting your Vitamin D.

5) Take Vitamin D. We will be adding Thorne Research Vit D to our herbs/supplements at The Pin Cushion.

Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin" because the body manufactures the vitamin after being exposed to sunshine. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. However, many people living in sunny climates still do not make enough vitamin D and need more from their diet or supplementation.

The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for vitamin D as cholecalciferol. (One microgram of cholecalciferol is the same as 40 IU of vitamin D.)

Infants

• 0 - 6 months: 5 micrograms per day (mcg/day)
• 7 - 12 months: 5 mcg/day

Children

• 1 - 13 years: 5 mcg/day

Adolescents and Adults

• Males and Females age 14 to 50: 5 mcg/day
• Males and Females age 51 to 70: 10 mcg/day
• Males and Females age over 70: 15 mcg/day

6) Do your best to avoid overeating and gaining excess weight, as this will increase fatigue and decrease mental clarity.

7) Rest! Bears do it, so should you. Stay warm, don't expend extra energy to keep your internal fire going. Wear warm layers, take hot baths and showers.

8) Cultivate the relationships and things in your life that bring you joy. Enjoy the warmth of friends and family.

The days will soon be getting longer friends!

Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash

Food is regarded as healing in Chinese medicine and can remedy many ailments. Try this roasted squash (or subsitute any pumpkin) with chili to fill your belly and keep you warm this winter.

Ingredients

• 1 pound delicata squash (about 1 large)

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Spread on a cookie sheet.

3. Roast the squash until tender, stirring once or twice, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Optional: Roast the seeds on a greased baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Top with salt for a popcorn-like snack rich in nutrients!

Serves 4 as a side dish

Blood Deficiency and Diet

In Chinese medicine, blood deficiency is a diagnosis that refers to a set of symptoms. These include:

· Insomnia, poor sleep quality

· Anxiety

· Depression

· Headaches

· Fatigue

· Cold hands and feet

· Constipation

· Light or irregular menses

· Weight gain

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs balance and nourish to relieve these symptoms, but it is also important that our bodies are being supported by our diets to have the building blocks we need. In the perspective of Western medicine, the most common vitamin and mineral inadequacies contributing to blood deficiency symptoms are iron, calcium, folic acid, and essential amino acids.

Iron

In the body, 60-70% of iron is used in the hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen to the tissues. When the tissues are not receiving sufficient amounts of oxygen, we experience fatigue, headaches, anxiety, and depression. When our iron is low, we have less hemoglobin in our blood. In this circumstance blood isn’t going to be able to do its work as efficiently, including supplying the brain. This leads to insomnia, decreased memory, and difficulty in concentration. Lack of hemoglobin also affects the nourishment of the intestines, which leads to constipation.

Blood Deficiency and Anemia

Anemia is a Western medical term and is defined as a reduction in red blood cells. Many times patients see their MD with the complaint of fatigue. They get a blood test to check their iron and red blood cell count to see if they are anemic. The test comes back negative. So why does their acupuncturist still want to talk to them about blood deficiency? In Chinese Medicine, the term blood deficiency denotes a set of symptoms, as oppose to a number or level that can be tested.

Iron is stored in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, as well as myoglobin and numerous proteins. These stores are drawn on when the amount of iron in the hemoglobin starts to get low. When this happens blood deficiency symptoms occur, but it will take quite a bit more depletion before anemia is measurable.

Absorption

The body is only able to absorb and utilize an average of 8-10% of the iron we consume.

Heme and nonheme iron

Iron is found in two forms, heme and non-heme.

The non-heme form of iron has to be converted into the heme form to be absorbed. The non-heme is the type of iron that is found in vegetable sources. Because of the extra conversion step, it is not absorbed as readily.

Heme iron is found in meat foods. This iron is already bound into muscle and blood tissues, making 10-30% of intake absorbable.

Other factors contribute to iron’s absorbability.

Increased by:

• Body needs during growth, pregnancy, and lactation
• Hydrochloric acid (production stimulated by meat protein)
• Vitamin C
• Blood loss or iron deficiency
• Meats
• Protein foods
• Citrus fruits and vegetables
• Iron cookware
• Copper, cobalt, manganese

Decreased by:

• Low hydrochloric acid

• Antacids
• Low copper
• Phosphates in meats and soft drinks
• Calcium
• Phytates in whole grains
• Oxylates in leafy green vegetables
• Soy protein
• Coffee and black tea
• Fast gastrointestinal motility

Calcium

Well known for its responsibility for bones and teeth, calcium is also crucial for muscle contraction, including the functioning of the heart. Calcium is also needed for the nervous system. It has a role in nerve transmission and the releasing of neurotransmitters. Calcium influences serotonin and norepinephrine, whose balance is imperative in warding off depression and irritability. Other symptoms of calcium deficiency include headaches, insomnia, muscle cramps, and fatigue.

Absorption

Increased by:

• Body needs – growth, pregnancy, lactation
• Vitamin D
• Milk lactose
• Acid environment – hydrochloric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
• Protein intake and amino acids such as lysine and glycine
• Fat intake
• Exercise
• Phosphorus balance

Decreased by:

• Vitamin D deficiency
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid)
• Stress
• Lack of exercise
• High fat intake
• High protein intake
• Oxalic acid foods (beet greens, chard, spinach, rhubarb, cocoa)
• Phytic acid foods (whole grains)
• High phosphorus intake

Magnesium

Calcium doesn’t work without his friend magnesium. Magnesium is responsible for the relaxation portion of the heartbeat by dilating the coronary arteries. It also contributes to the production of energy. Low amounts of magnesium can cause increased PMS symptoms.

Absorption

Factors increasing or decreasing the absorption of magnesium are the same as for calcium.

Folic Acid

Folic acid is an important B vitamin. In its active form, THFA, its job is to help red blood cell production and to aid in the breakdown of protein. It also has a part in many amino acid conversions. Folic acid is instrumental in the growth and reproduction of all cells.

The first sign of deficiency is depression. Folic acid deficiency also shows in the skin, with cracks or scaling of the lips and corners of the mouth. Also associated with low folic acid is fatigue and the rapid graying of the hair. Folic acid deficiency has also been linked with cervical dysplasia and cancer.

Absorption

Folic acid is absorbed in the intestines. This can be an issue if one is prone to bouts of diarrhea, or is on antibiotics or tetracyclines that deplete colon bacteria.

Folic acid is mostly found in leafy greens (spinach, kale, beet greens) and is easily lost during cooking or after any sort of processing. Lightly sautéed is best.

Common causes of Folic Acid deficiency:

• Inadequate nutrition – lack of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Poor absorption – due to intestinal problems,
• Metabolic problems from alcohol or drug use
• Excessive demands on tissues, as with stress, illness, or pregnancy.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. Proteins have many responsibilities:

• Growth and maintenance of body structures
• Enzymes
• Hormones
• Immune system
• Fluid electrolyte balance
• Energy
• Blood sugar regulation

There are 21 amino acids the body needs in order to carry out all its functions. There are two categories of amino acids, non-essential and essential.

Non-essential amino acids are supplied by the body.

Essential amino acids need to be supplied by the diet.

Animal proteins provide all essential amino acids. Plant proteins are incomplete and must be combined to achieve all essential amino acids. These are referred to as complementary proteins.

For example:

Grain – HIGH in the amino acid methionine, LOW in lysine

Legumes – LOW in methionine, HIGH in lysine.

Together they make a complete protein, having all amino acids. When all amino acids are present, neurotransmitters are balanced. When neurotransmitters are out of balance, depression, anxiety, and lack of focus are the result.

Susie Fanslow, LAc

Sources

Elson M. Haas, M.D. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. Berkley CA: Celestial Arts

Publishing, 1992.