Blog : Nutrition
Foods to help you sleep
Many times sleep issues can be attributed to an imbalance of the Shen of the body. As we've mentioned in other posts, the Shen is the mind, which is governed by the Heart organ system. Whether the imbalance causing your sleep problems comes from stress, worry, fright, illness, or digestive problems, here are some foods that you can add to your diet to help strengthen the Heart, thus calming the Shen, and help your body and mind be at rest.
Tending the Garden for Improved Fertility and Bonus Recipe
As we discussed in our previous blog post about Fertility, "tending the garden" to create the optimal environment for a healthy pregnancy is the key to improved fertility. Here are some dietary tips along with an easy recipe to start your day off right with good protein and leafy greens.
Here’s to a Healthy Heart
As you may be aware, February is National Heart Month. What you might not be aware of is that Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can play a huge role in improving your heart health. In this article, we explain the Oriental Medicine perspective of the heart and share tips on incorporating time-tested therapies into your health improvement plan.
The Heart from an Oriental Medicine Perspective
In both Oriental Medicine and Western Medicine, the heart is known to have the function of pumping blood throughout the body to maintain life. However, in Oriental Medicine it is thought of as the ruler, or Emperor, 
of the other organs, and involved with mental and emotional processes.
There are 3 key characteristics of the heart system in Oriental Medicine:
Juicing: Why It May Not Be The Best Choice
With the New Year comes resolutions to lose those holiday pounds and get healthier. Many of our patients ask us about this diet or that diet, and many are trying juicing. While it seems like it should be a healthy way to get lots of nutrients in a glass, and it has grown into a multi-million dollar business, there are several issues with juicing. A colleague recently posted this article and we want to share it with you so that you understand why juicing is not all it’s cracked up to be. We are constantly telling our patients to stay away from ice and cold beverages because they sabotage your digestive system (and therefore your metabolism), and since juices are typically taken cold, that’s yet another concern with juicing that isn’t mentioned in the article. Make sure you are making an informed choice and not just jumping on the next fad diet. We continue to believe that eating whole foods in appropriate portions while staying away from processed foods is your best bet to move toward a healthier lifestyle.
Preparing for Winter
Chinese Medicine Practitioners observed that when people carefully observe and adjust their actions according the seasons and natural environment, we stay healthier, happier and prevent disease. Each season has its own natural cycles and rhythms, and by conducing ourselves in accordance with these natural cycles we stay happy and balanced. In nature, bears hibernate during the cold and dark days of Winter. This is the time of year to slow down, reflect, replenish our energy, conserve our strength and prepare for the outburst of new life and energy in the spring.
Winter is ruled by the water element, which, as you might guess, is associated with the kidneys, bladder, and adrenal glands. According to Oriental medicine, the kidneys are considered the source of all vital energy within the body, storing all of the reserve energy so that it can be used to prevent illness or used during times of stress when our body needs to heal.
The Kidney organ system supports the reproductive organs, regulates growth and regeneration, supports water metabolism and maintains homeostasis. The Yin aspect of the Kidneys also gives rise to the marrow, which produces the brain, spinal cord, bones, teeth, blood and hair. The Yang aspect kindles the metabolic process sending warmth and energy to every cell in the body. Of course this is dependent upon the adequate reserves of energy.
During the winter months, if we observe the natural rhythms of the season we nurture and nourish our very important kidney energy. It is the time when this energy can be most easily depleted so get to sleep early, rest well, stay warm, and expend a minimum quantity of energy. Think hibernation! If you are one of those people who love winter sports activities and everything that winter brings, just make sure you allow for ample rest in between outings and take these proper precautions!