Moxa

Has your practitioner given you a moxa stick, but you're not sure what to do? Here are some instructions to get you started on the path to being a moxa pro!


Use a candle or lighter to light one end of the moxa stick. Keep the stick in contact with the heat source until it begins to smolder a bit. (You can test the heat of the stick by placing it a half inch to an inch above the back of your hand. When you feel a pleasant warmth the stick has been heated correctly). You can also gently blow on the stick to help the process. Make sure to scrape the gray ash from the stick on the corner of a bowl or something metal.
The stick can now be held about an inch over any area (or corresponding acupuncture point) in which you feel pain, aches, cramps, or physical discomfort. Hold the stick just above the area to be treated low enough to feel a pleasant warmth, but high enough to prevent burning. Be very careful NOT TO LET THE MOXA STICK MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SKIN.
Make sure to ash stick every 2-3 minutes.
Move the moxa stick slowly over the area you are treating for 5-7 minutes. It should feel soothing and warm, but not too hot.
When you have finished the treatment, extinguish the moxa stick in a dish of salt or rice.
Repeat daily over area.

Eat Congee, Make Your Spleen Happy!!

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is founded on the theory that qi is the vital energetic life force that runs throughout our body. When we are born, we receive a certain amount of qi from our parents; qi can also be cultivated using energetic exercises such as tai chi or qi gong, but the majority of our post-natal qi is derived from the food we eat. Eating nutritious, whole foods is an important step in generating sufficient qi, but only if our bodies have the capability of processing these foods.

You will often hear TCM practitioners talk about your energetic Spleen. The TCM Spleen can be loosely translated to your digestion. Thus, it is an important TCM organ to nourish and replenish your qi. There are numerous ways to boost your Spleen, but one easy step is to feed yourself nutritious and easily-digested food first thing in the morning, while your body is still awakening and not quite functioning at its peak. I like to refer to this as "babying your Spleen" in the morning.

Congee, or "rice water", is a traditional breakfast dish enjoyed throughout China.* It is much more than a delicious way to start your day, it's an excellent meal to "awaken the Spleen," priming the body for a qi-filled day.

There are two different directions one can take when preparing congee depending on your taste preference- savory or sweet. It is important to note that when I use the term "sweet," I do not mean the candy-like sweetness we are used to in western society. By "sweet" I'm referring to a very mild sweet taste.

Preparation of your congee does not need to be exact, and can vary from day to day. You may find you like your congee a bit thicker, or more soupy. You might add carrots and mushrooms one day and kale the next. Below are two base recipes to use as-is or as a foundation for your own unique dish. My only caution would be to keep it relatively simple and use nutritious, whole foods.

Savory Congee:

 -white rice (1 cup)
 -chicken stock or water (5-7 cups)
 - fresh ginger (2-4 coin-sized slices)

 Add-ons: use 1-2 additional ingredients from this list.

 - carrot (~1 small, diced)
 - mushrooms (2-3, diced)
 - cooked squash (~1/2 cup)
 - chicken ( ~1/4 cup cooked)
 - kale or spinach (~1/2 cup chopped) add the last half-hour of cooking
 -(if your spleen is healthy)additional grains such as brown rice, millet, or quinoa.
 These grains can be used with white rice or as the primary grain in the congee

"Sweet" Congee:

 -white rice (1 cup)
 -milk alternative: almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc. or water (5-7 cups)
 - fresh ginger (2-4 coin-sized slices)

Add-ons:

 -a pinch of cardamom and/or a pinch of cinnamon
 -berries of all kinds: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. You may want to
add these the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Cooking directions:

Bring the rice, broth, and veggies to a boil and reduce heat to stew ingredients together for 1-4 hours (or longer). The point is to create a soupy consistency where the rice has broken down. You may need to check the pot while cooking and add more stock/broth if the congee appears to be too thick. This is important, too much water/broth is better than too little*. It is also possible to cook your congee in a crock pot on low heat. Long and slow cooking is the best way to prepare this porridge-like dish. Many claim that the longer the congee cooks, the more "powerful" it becomes*. This recipe will make a nice amount of food, you can cook congee 1-2 times a week and store in the refrigerator to reheat for breakfast another day (it will keep 3-5 days).

Enjoy! By eating this easily digested congee in the morning your Spleen be happy and your digestion will be primed to easily assimilate the rest of your food for the day.


Rebecca Babik, EAMP

Sources:

-Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition.
North Atlantic Books, Berkeley CA. 2002.

-Photo credit to iheartguts.com

-me :)

What (not) to do for acute soft tissue injuries (Part 1 of 2)

What (not) to do for acute soft tissue injuries (Part 1 of 2)

You're walking to your front door, up your front walk: you turn towards the peculiar sound of a bird to your right and... CRUNCH!!! You roll your ankle off the side of the walk, cursing profusely. You hobble inside and all you want is to get your shoe off as your ankle begins to swell. The pain and swelling are tremendous; what should you do once that confounding shoe comes off? Pop an Advil? Grab a bag of frozen peas and an ACE bandage, post up on the couch with an ottoman, a stack of pillows, and the first season of your favorite show?

Throughout most of our lives, we were taught that the best thing to do was to stop the inflammation process and reduce the swelling with anti-inflammatory medication, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). Both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications, such as ibuprofen, and ice ultimately result in a local decrease of inflammatory biochemicals at the site of injury. (Hertel 1997, Takagi R et. al. 2011). This would be great if decreasing inflammatory biochemicals led to quicker and more robust healing of injuries, but it doesn't, and in fact it may weaken the injured tissue and make it more susceptible to injury in the future (Hertel 1997, Tortland 2007, Reynolds 2009, Jam 2014).

The inrush of pain-producing inflammatory biochemicals to the site of an injury is a necessary process in response to physical trauma that transforms into a healing process roughly 24 hours after the initial injury. If that process is inhibited by anti-inflammatory medications, ice, or prolonged immobilization, the result will most likely be muscles, tendons, or ligaments that are much structurally weaker had those treatments not been applied (Hertel 1997, Tortland 2007, Jam 2014).
Part 2 of this blog post will cover some of the methods used in Chinese Medicine to treat acute soft tissue injuries.

For further reading on NSAID use in the treatment of acute soft tissue injury see:

"The Role of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in the Treatment of Acute Soft Tissue Inuries" by Jay Hertel, MEd, ATC, Journal of Athletic Training, 1997, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1320354/

"Sports Injuries and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) Use"  by Paul D. Tortland, DO, SPORTS Med (CSMS Committee on the Medical Aspects of Sports), Winter 2007

"Phys Ed: Does Ibuprofen Help or Hurt During Exercise?" by Gretchen Reynolds, The New York Times, September 1, 2009, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/phys-ed-does-ibuprofen-help-or-hurt-during-exercise/?_r=0

For further reading on the use of ice in the treatment of acute soft tissue injury see:

"Paradigm Shifts: Use of Ice & NSAIDs Post Acute Soft Tissue Injuries (Part 1 of 2)" by Dr. Bahram Jam, DScPT, MPhty, BScPT, CredMDT, Advanced Physical Therapy Institute, 2014, http://physicaltherapyweb.com/paradigm-shifts-use-ice-nsaids-post-acute-soft-tissue-injuries-part-1-2/

"Influence of icing on muscle regeneration after crush injury to skeletal muscles in rats." by Tagaki R, et. al., Journal of Applied Physiology, 1985, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21164157

Written by David Derdiger, EAMP, LAc, February 11th, 2015

Qigong Classes at The Pin Cushion!

What is qigong?

The term qìgōng (氣功), as it is used today, is a term popularized in China during the 1950’s to describe a wide variety of mind and body cultivation practices.

What type of qigong will be offered at The Pin Cushion?

The Taoist qigong taught at The Pin Cushion by David Derdiger is a collection of Chinese health promoting exercises that use gentle movements, self-massage, and awareness to promote a balanced state of body-mind and longevity.

How do I know if the type of qigong offered at The Pin Cushion is right for me?

The qigong taught by David serves to benefit anyone seeking mental clarity, stillness, and tension-relief, and is a tool for promoting your own state of relaxation and qi flow. Qigong is not meant to be a replacement for conventional forms of medicine; if you have serious health concerns you should always consult your primary care physician before adding qigong to your regimen.

How do I get the most out of qigong?

Qigong, like acupuncture, is a process where the benefits are best realized over time through regular practice. Ideally, coming to class twice a week and practicing 20 minutes a day yields the best results, but even coming to class once a week and practicing 5 minutes a day can lead to significant changes in awareness of one’s body, mind, and habits; the key is regular, daily practice.

Okay, sounds great! When can I start?

David teaches one-hour classes three times a week, Wednesday mornings, Thursday evenings, and Sunday afternoons. Classes are $15 each. Class sizes are limited so please sign up in advance! Go to our regular "Schedule an Appointment" page to book online using Appointment Plus.

Wednesday	Thursday	Sunday
7:15am
		3:15pm
	8:15pm

Classes start promptly at their scheduled times. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early as the doors will be locked 5 minutes before classes begin.

Two types of classes will be offered most weeks out of each month, Qigong Foundations and Chan Si Gong.

Qigong Foundations:

This class is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Foundations emphasizes fundamental movements, softness, nature of intent, and stillness. Bringing awareness to these principles can strengthen any mindfulness practice.

Chan Si Gong (Silk Reeling Skill):

Chan si gong uses round, soft movements to open the 18 major pivots of the body so that the qi can flow smoothly in the channels and return to the center to be stored. By moving softly and paying attention to the open spaces, finding stillness in the mind naturally becomes easier.

The second Wednesday, third Thursday, and fourth Sunday of every month will be a Foundations class. This is intentional as regular revisiting of foundational material is encouraged.

Vitamin D

A guest post from Bruce Peters!

Living in the Pacific Northwest, it’s common to become deficient in vitamin D, often called the ‘Sunshine Vitamin.’ This deficiency can then lead to a variety of health issues familiar to many of us, from compromised immune systems to decreased mood.

Previously thought to only be important for bone heath, an increasing number of studies have been finding more and more roles for vitamin D in maintaining a vibrant and healthy body. Surprisingly, researchers have found that almost every cell in our bodies contain vitamin D receptors. One of the strongest correlations to date is the role of vitamin D in maintaining a strong and healthy immune system.

We all know that it’s more common to catch a cold/flu in the winter months. It used to be thought that was due to being inside and in closer quarters with other people, or due to catching a ‘cold’ from the colder weather. While it’s true that both cold and flu viruses have been shown to reproduce better at lower temperatures (which is why our bodies generate a fever when we’re sick), the new theory is that lower levels of vitamin D in the winter weaken our ability to fight off the ever-present viruses in our environment.

Although it’s called a vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone produced in the body in response to exposure to UV light from the sun. The conversion starts in the skin and then travels to both the liver and kidneys for further modification into more biologically usable forms. Unfortunately for us, the levels of UV light reaching the PNW from October through March are not enough to produce enough vitamin D to maintain optimal levels in our bodies. Being fat soluble, we can store vitamin D in our systems to help keep things running for a while, usually 2-3 months, which is why we often start seeing higher levels of illness from January on, once our stored levels have been depleted.

How can you boost your vitamin D during winter time?
The best way is to expose your skin to strong sunlight…so maybe a trip to Hawaii! While that sounds wonderful, it may not be the most pragmatic solution in all cases. Very few foods contain significant levels of vitamin D, the main ones being trout, salmon and cod liver oil and even those aren’t  very high. The best way is to supplement. High quality supplements contain vitamin D3, the form created by your skin and the easiest to absorb.

How much should you take?
When levels are low, it generally takes an extra 100 IU of supplemental vitamin D taken daily over a few weeks to raise blood levels 1 ng/ml. Alternatively, some Doctors prescribe megadoses of up to 50,000 IU once per week for 6 weeks. For most people, it’s easiest to stick with a daily routine of 1000 IU – 2000 IU every day or so to raise and maintain levels throughout the winter. The type of vitamin D we sell at The Pin Cushion is one of the best on the market and the most effective at raising blood levels. It’s a small dropper bottle and you add the flavorless drops either directly into your mouth or onto some food for easy supplementation.

FAQs

We get a lot of great questions from our patients, but the fast pace of community style acupuncture means we often don't have time to answer them. For some great answers to basic questions about acupuncture generally and community style in particular, take a look at Why Did You Put That Needle There, either in our library, on Amazon, or check out the free ebook in English, Spanish, or audiobook format online!

Meet David!

I'm geeky and nerdy and my writing voice tends to be verbose, so I'll do my best to keep this real. When most people find out that my undergrad studies were in biomaterial engineering they're like, "Whoa! How did you go from that to acupuncture?!" The short story is that in my senior design class I designed what I came to understand as a very expensive surgically implantable band aid for arthritis that in the end wouldn't have addressed why someone ended up with arthritis in the first place. I just so happened to take an elective in medicinal plants and herbology out of curiosity and when my professor told me that I could continue pursuing that kind of study in grad school my world kind of exploded.
Thus began the Amtrak trips around the western portion of the country in search of a naturopathic school. After thoroughly investigating the options, I noticed many of these schools also had programs in Chinese medicine. I was a martial artist and avid meditator at the time and the Chinese medicine curricula just seemed familiar and enticing. I ended up near my midwestern suburban hoemtown at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago. There I learned Taiji and Tuina before leaving for the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine where I could pursue my passion for learning to read Chinese, study of the classical texts, qigong, and palpation-based acupuncture.
And now, having graduated in August 2014, here I am: Chinese medicine super-geek, practitioner of qigong and taijiquan, lover of simplicity, complexity, internconnection, stillness, movement, and transformation. When I get a spare moment I love to play either of my two guitars, read paper books, walk freely in Ravenna Park, sketch things far beyond my skill to capture, write about anything, drink and prepare gong fu style tea for myself and others, eat dinner with my wife, ride my bike, and whistle.