Summer and the Fire Element

The weather is warming up and summer is well on it's way...  the days are longer and we are getting more sunlight, which is probably having a positive effect on your energy level and mood.  This is the time of year when Yang (the active, energetic, enthusiastic, and extroverted part of us) is at its peak for the year.  

Summer is associated with the Fire Element in Chinese Medicine, and the The Fire Element  has a corresponding Yin organ (Heart), Yang organ (Small Intestine), and emotion (Joy).  It's natural and healthy to feel more joyful this time of year, as well as more social, because the Heart enjoys connection, communication, and laughter.  Chinese Medicine refers to the Heart in an energetic sense, but it's important to take good care of the physical heart organ as well, and get regular exercise to keep our circulatory system flowing and healthy. 

Because Summer is a warmer time of year, and it is the peak time for the Fire element, it's a good time of year to enjoy more cooling foods such as watermelon and cucumber.  Even being near a body of water is soothing for the Heart, which needs water to feel balanced and grounded. 

Lastly, the Heart governs our sleep, and between the high energy and long daylight hours of summer, it's easy to skimp on sleep.  However, sleep is still essential this time of year, and it's the best time for your Heart to rest and renew. 

Use this summer to take good care of  your Fire element, your Heart will thank you!

Chinese Medicine for Urinary Bladder health

Urinary Tract Infections, or, UTI's, are diagnosed according to Chinese Medicine as "damp heat."   Symptoms often include frequent, burning, or painful urination, or the sensation of a bladder retaining urine even after urination.  Urine may be cloudy, and in some cases there is fever due to the excess heat and inflammation from the infection.  UTI's more commonly affect women because of shorter, more easily infected urinary ducts.  This type of infection can be extremely uncomfortable, yet many people don't realize that Acupuncture can help.

Many people have heard recommendations such as cranberry juice for urinary bladder health.  What other foods and herbs are beneficial?    Well, since an infection of this nature is "damp heat", you want to consume foods that are cooling, and foods that aren't acid forming (this contributes to "dampness.")  Acid forming foods are refined sugar and other sweeteners, greasy, oily foods, and too much starch.  Overeating can also contribute to dampness, so try to eat lightly, with broths and herbal teas.   Coffee and alcohol are too warming and can aggravate heat. 

Here are some cooling and alkalizing recommendations to help your body clear the infection: (you could even make a broth from these ingredients):  celery, carrots, asparagus, aduki beans, lima beans, mushrooms.

Fruits are cooling, but also have sugar, so some good options are: watermelon, lemon (diluted juice), cranberry (unsweetened juice), and huckleberries. 

Here are some beneficial herbal teas: uva ursi, dandelion leaf, plantain leaf.

Acupuncture is a great way to support bladder and kidney health, and help your body clear the infection even quicker.  We also have some great Chinese Herbal formulas that you can take on a daily basis between treatments.  Don't suffer, come on in and get some relief.

The Doyo

Happy Spring everyone!  The calendar says it is officially the first day of Spring and we can all feel it, yes?  More delicious sun breaks among the clouds and rain and temperatures are rising.  According to Chinese medicine, we have been in the "doyo," or the season between the seasons, when the weather can be rather tumultuous, stormy, windy and changeable.  Spring is a great time for a gentle cleanse or detox and the doyo is a common time for people to fall ill.  Acupuncture can assist in detoxification and even ultra-healthy people can benefit from a "tune up" treatment this time of year.

Spring allergies are also very common here in the Pacific Northwest and taking good care of ourselves to keep our immune systems strong is essential.  Eat well, stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, stay active and enjoy some natural vitamin D from the sun!  And if you are sneezy/sinusy, we have some very effective Chinese herbs for allergies and there's always acupuncture.

Ear Acupuncture & Acupressure for Stress Relief

You've probably noticed when coming in for your Acupuncture treatment, that although the points used vary from treatment to treatment, you almost always have needles in your ears. Why is that?  The ears are actually a microsystem, meaning that much like foot reflexology, they have an "imprinted map" of our entire body.  If you picture a baby curled up in fetal position, upside down, you can imagine this microsystem on an ear, with the head of the baby on the ear lobe, the spine curling up the ear, and the lower body at the top of the ear.    By locating points according to this map, any area of the body can be addressed with a needle placed in the correct point location.

The ears are rich with nerve endings, and ear points have direct calming effects on the central nervous system, making them especially effective for pain relief, addictions, and stress relief.  In a community acupuncture clinic, we see a lot of conditions aggravated by stress and anxiety, so ear points are almost always incorporated into a treatment.  A particular favorite is a point named "Shenmen" which has a calming, relaxing, and soothing effect on our entire system.  When we are relaxed, our body has a much easier time using it's energy to heal, so this is an extremely therapeutic part of the treatment.  When patients are coming in specifically for stress and anxiety relief, sometimes after the needles are pulled out we will stick tiny stainless steel balls known as "earseeds" onto ear points.  These earseeds have an adhesive that keeps them stuck to the ears, and they can be worn for several days and stimulated with your fingers for an ongoing "acupressure" treatment effect even after you leave the clinic.

If for some reason you can't make it in for a treatment, give yourself some stress relieving acupressure by grasping your ear between thumb and index finger, and massage the entire ear.  You can start at the top, and gradually work your way down and around the ear to the ear lobe, and then massage the deeper inner concave part of your ear as well.  Massage the ears for a minute or two until you can feel the warmth of increased blood flow.  Take deep breaths and allow your nervous system to settle down again.  Enjoy the benefits of this acupressure ear massage anytime you are feeling stressed or anxious, and then as soon as you can, get in for a stronger dose of Acupuncture to heighten the therapeutic effect.  Have a stress free holiday season!

Help prevent colds and flu with food

Cold and flu season is in full force. A good way to prevent catching anything is to get an acupuncture treatment at the first hint of symptoms, (sore throat, body aches, chills and fever). There are also foods you can incorporate into your diet that will assist in keeping your immune system strong.

These include:

basil                      ginger
black pepper         leeks
caraway                mustard leaf
cayenne                onion
cinnamon             peppermint
coriander              rosemary
garlic                    sage
scallions

It is also a good idea to reduce or omit foods that cause congestion. The biggest offenders are dairy, wheat, sugar, and anything with saturated fat.

Stay healthy this season! With a good diet and steady acupuncture, your body's defenses will be strong. 

Chinese Herbal Formulas for Optimal Health and Wellness

When most people hear the term "Traditional Chinese Medicine," they probably think of Acupuncture.  But did you know, before Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine was predominantly herbal medicine, and today, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs together form the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The benefit received from Acupuncture can be enhanced and magnified by the addition of a Chinese Herbal formula into your daily routine, and the right formula can make all the difference in your progress towards optimal health.  Chinese Herbs are a great way to supplement your Acupuncture treatment, help you keep feeling the therapeutic effect of Chinese Medicine in between Acupuncture treatment days, and assist your healing process from the inside out.     

At The Pin Cushion Clinic, we carry a line of Chinese Herbal formulas by Evergreen Herbs, a company we have chosen for the clinical effectiveness of their products, as well as the purity of the ingredients.  Although Chinese Herbs can be prescribed in whole bulk form which you boil to make a tea, most people don't have the time to dedicate to this process, so the herbs we carry have already been ground into a powder and encapsulated so they are convenient for travel and a busy lifestyle.  We stock common formulas for conditions we see often, and many people are surprised at how many types of conditions can be treated with Chinese Herbs.  We carry formulas for anything from insomnia, anxiety, and stress relief,  to menstrual cycle regulation, and pain relief.  And, if the formula we prescribe for you is a little more obscure, we are happy to order it. 

Keep this in mind for your next Acupuncture appointment.  If you have been curious about Chinese Herbs, or wonder how they could benefit you and help you reach your health and wellness goals even more quickly, ask your Acupuncturist at your next appointment, and we'd be happy to make a recommendation for you.

Here's to your good health!

Cherry Bublanina

It's summer already and the cherries are showing up in grocery stores and farmers' markets. According to Chinese medicine, cherries are nourishing to the blood and are great for arthritis. While they're great on their own, why not add a little butter and sugar to sweeten the deal? This is a variation of a recipe my best friend's mom made for us during sleepovers in grade school. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs divided, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound washed, pitted and halved red cherries
• Confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

1. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-by-9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, sugar and yolks until light and fluffy. Add salt, mixing well.
   
   
2. In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Alternately fold in egg whites and flour into butter-egg mixture.
   
   
3. Turn batter into prepared pan and scatter cherries evenly over top. Lightly press down cherries into batter until partially covered. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut into 6 equal pieces. Serve warm or cold dusted with confectioners' sugar.