Spring into great health

In 2015 the spring equinox is on September 23rd. On this day there will be an equal number of hours of day and night and then the daylight hours will grow until we reach the longest day on the summer solstice. The lengthening days of Spring are a time for new beginnings, seeds and ideas germinating and blooming and new paths to follow in life or perhaps new ways to walk your current path.

In Chinese medicine spring is part of the Wood element which in turn relates to your Liver and Gallbladder, your eyes, your tendons, the virtue of benevolence and the emotion of anger, the sour flavour, and the free flow of qi just to name a few of the correspondences… read more

Spring time detox

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Spring and Autumn, the transitional seasons, are a great time for detoxifying and cleansing your body of the harmful impurities that have collected in your organs and tissues over the past months or years. Seasonal cleansing offers an important chance to decide what you want to let go of in pursuit of greater health and wellbeing.

In Chinese Medicine, spring is related to the Wood element and to the Liver and Gall bladder organs. The primary focus of the spring cleanse then is the Liver as it is the organ which does the most work during a detox. It takes pollutants out of the bloodstream and makes them safe for excretion.

As you detox, however, you also need to make sure that the rest of your body is well supported as toxins are excreted by your sweat, breath, urine, and bowels, as well as with emotional, psychological and spiritual release.

The goal of a spring cleanse is to clear away any stagnation left over from winter, lighten up your system, and make yourself more vibrant and focused in preparation for summer fun. A detox is essentially about refocusing your mind, body and palate on healthy, tasty and nutritious food to:

• lower the amount of chemicals being ingested
• provide nutrients that enhance your body’s natural processes
• support your organs of elimination in clearing toxins out of your body safely

Your body won’t release old toxins until you stop putting in new ones and make room for it’s natural process of cleansing and regeneration to occur. As stored toxins are broken down and released you might feel uncomfortable for a couple of days, this is a sign that your body is purging accumulated toxins which would have otherwise brought pain and disease. If your excretion channels are supported to function efficiently, you can successfully cleanse with few side effects.

When your body is toxic you often feel heavy and sluggish and this is can be due to a disruption in the natural flow of energy around your body. A course of Acupuncture and Herbs is a great way to support your system during a detox by

• Reducing your appetite and cravings so you can make better food choices
• Supporting the health of your liver as it works overtime during a detox
• Improving bowel movements so you can better eliminate toxins
• Encouraging better fluid metabolism so you can eliminate toxins through your kidney and bladder
• Improving blood circulation to help eliminate toxins more quickly

Dry skin brushing can also enhance the detox process, not only by allowing the release of toxins through your skin, but by moving your lymphatic system which drains and transports many waste products.

With the combination of acupuncture and change in diet your body will work more efficiently, your energy levels will be higher and you’ll have a greater sense of mental clarity.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth that can greatly benefit your body, mind and spirit. It is a time when energy rises and expands, providing movement and growth. This expansive energy helps to move things to the surface and expel some of the body’s burden of toxins, and this energy of upward growth means emotions and issues that have been stored away also have an opportunity to be released. One of the reasons you get a bit grumpy during a detox is that the Liver and Gall bladder govern the emotions of anger, frustration, and irritability.

Since spring is characterized by the strong energy of growth and change, you can align yourself with this energy by exercising, spending time in nature, and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation. Since the Liver rules the free flow of qi and your lungs are also powerful movers of toxic matter these are excellent ways to allow the new energy of spring to flow unobstructed.

For more information about the best foods to support your detox as well as simple daily practices to help you look younger and feel fantastic come along to my Detox to Great Health Workshop.

Your Health in the Year of the Horse

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Jan 31, 2014 is the start of the Chinese Year of the Wood Horse. The horse is fundamentally a fire creature, so this year the elements of Wood and Fire will be highlighted. Wood and Fire relate primarily to the Liver and Heart in Chinese Medicine.

So how can you best look after your health this year?

The Wood archetype is the Pioneer who seeks challenge and pushes to the limit; they love action, movement, and adventure. Is it any wonder then that the Liver is in charge of the smooth flow of energy (qi) throughout your body?

Emotions are essentially energy in motion so when the energy is not flowing as it should, the Liver qi is stuck, then emotional flow is disrupted. This can lead to feelings of irritability, frustration or anger which can then send your blood pressure up. Similarly these emotions can disrupt the appropriate flow of qi and cause havoc with other organs, since everything is connected, leading to ‘stress related problems’ such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Premenstrual Syndrome. Regular gentle exercise is one of the best ways to keep the qi flowing smoothly.

The liver is associated with the storage of blood as well as the flow of qi which means it is an important organ to consider in regards to the timing, comfort, quality and quantity of a woman’s menstrual cycle and thus her fertility.  The ‘health’ of your liver blood is also reflected in symptoms such as dry eyes and skin. As the Horse is a fire sign be particularly wary of dryness and dehydration this year, keep your blood nourished by eating well and stay hydrated.

The Liver is said to control the tendons and during exercise blood is released to nourish your tendons and muscles. Tightness, inflexibility, spasms or the propensity to muscle and tendon injuries can be reflecting the health of your Liver. The Wood meridians, or energy lines, flow through your neck and shoulders and down the sides of your body so tightness in these areas or headaches, both tension and migraine, are a typical indicator that the qi is not flowing appropriately. As you have probably experienced stress restricts not only the flow of qi but also of your breath.  Take a deep breath, drop your shoulders and let it go.

The liver is said to open into the eyes and so it is connected to proper eye function. Chronic eye problems, weak or blurry vision can usually be traced to liver issues. The Liver is often described as the strategist in Chinese Medicine so how can you see where you are going in life and plan your route to get there if your Liver is struggling?

Some great ways to support your wood energy this year is to keep your coffee and alcohol intake to a minimum as these substances will put extra stress on your liver. Make sure you are eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, organic if possible, and add some goji berries into your porridge or other dishes. Drink Dandelion tea, lemon water and plenty of filtered water throughout the day. Try to be in bed by 10.30pm most nights as when you sleep can be even more important as how much you sleep.  Acupuncture and Herbs are also great ways to help you restore the proper function of your mind, body and spirit.

The Fire archetype is the Wizard who imbues the mundane with the extraordinary, and brings the transforming power of light, love, and awareness into the world. They relish excitement, are keenly intuitive and passionately empathetic, they love sensation, drama, and sentiment.  Do you know any big hearted people like this?

In Chinese medicine the Heart is considered the residence of the mind and spirit and so is most often involved in psychological imbalances. Properly nourished and balanced, the heart maintains our innate wisdom, contentment, and emotional balance as well as mental function and memory. When the heart is not performing appropriately poor memory, insomnia, restlessness, depression or anxiety, or a tendency to be “spaced out” or “in the clouds” can result. So this is a good year to increase joy and happiness and use humor and laughter as medicine to nourish your heart.

The heart controls the blood and blood vessels. When your heart is healthy, it pumps blood through the vessels to all parts of your body, nourishing your organs and maintaining vitality.  When your Heart is disturbed this can lead to circulation and blood problems, palpitations, strokes or heart attacks.

The heart controls speech. If someone you know is withdrawn and has a quiet demeanor then perhaps their heart is in need of nourishing.

To look after your heart health this year definitely follow some of the wood advice above since in Chinese medicine the Liver energy is the mother of the Heart energy so being kind to your liver will certainly help your heart. As such eat a healthy whole food diet, organic if possible, with plenty of fish for the good oils that you need. Cook with only a small amount of good quality celtic sea salt, try not to add it at the table, and stay well hydrated. If you are going to eat chocolate make sure it is dark, not milk, and eat it with restraint if you can.  Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake and remember that today is the best day to quit smoking. Make fitness fun with some regular gentle morning exercise to keep your heart pumping well and be sure to have a good night’s sleep. Of course the most important thing you can do for your heart is to nourish your friendships and remember to love yourself. Coming for some regular acupuncture treatments is also a great way to nourish yourself.

Enjoy a wonderful year and big hugs all around.

Spring Clean Your Mind, Body and Spirit

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Imagine living in a pollution-free environment, drinking only pure, mineralized, alkaline water and eating naturally untainted nourishing foods. Imagine living in homes free of chemicals, breathing clean air, wearing natural fibre clothes washed in clean water with pure soaps.

Unfortunately very few of us live this way and so the toxicity of modern life – all the pollution and chemicals in the air, skin and hair care products we use, the water and food we consume – disrupts our systems. Our bodies try to protect us from dangerous substances by setting them aside, surrounding them with mucous and fat so that they will not cause an imbalance or trigger an immune response however toxic build-up accumulates in our systems as too many toxins are generally unavoidable. This then leads to many common ailments and chronic diseases.

Detoxification means eliminating poisons or toxins from your body and this is vital to maintaining good health, maximizing your body’s energy levels, preventing chronic illness and promoting healing. Our bodies naturally detoxify daily as part of a normal process if we give them the space to do so. We can eliminate and neutralize toxins through the colon, lungs, skin, liver, kidneys and lymph.

Spring time in Chinese medicine corresponds with the wood element and with the Liver and Gallbladder so as these are two important organs for detoxing it is the ideal time for a spring clean. Just like you trim back the garden to allow space for new growth so too is it beneficial to trim back the weeds of toxicity to allow your body space to thrive. To support your body in a detox process and reduce damage to your immune system and metabolism it is important to keep your digestive elimination regular, keep your circulation strong, and keep stress to a minimum. Even if your diet is good, an annual spring cleanse can revitalize your internal ecosystem.

Ideally a “Spring Clean Detox” is done over a 4 week period, 10 days minimum or 10-12 weeks (the whole of Spring) if you can manage it. If you are doing a 4 week detox then repeat this process every 6-12 months if you can.

Step 1: Avoid things that add toxins or acidity to your body like alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, processed food and red meat so that your body can start to eliminate toxins which have accumulated over the years. As your body begins eliminating you may experience symptoms such as headaches, nausea, irritability, rashes or tiredness. Keep going as this will pass, days 2-3 are often the worst.

Step 2: Do things that help your body clear toxins. Eat nourishing foods like fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, white meat and fish and drink plenty of spring water. Alkalize with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in your water. Keep your bowels moving well with probiotics. New research is proving that intestinal health directly affects serotonin production, meaning that depression can actually start in the gut.

Up to 70% of your body’s waste products are eliminated via your lungs. One of the most powerful exercises you can do to activate your lymphatic system (your own personal garbage disposal system) as well as settle, balance, and detoxify your body and mind is deep, rhythmic, belly breathing. In Chinese medicine your lungs rule over your skin which is your largest organ of elimination. Dry skin brushing removes toxins in the dead skin cells as well as enhancing circulation and regular exercise will accelerate the removal of toxins through your sweat. Exercise is also important for your lymphatic system which depends solely on muscular movement for it to flow.

Finally spring clean a negative attitude with an attitude of gratitude; write a daily gratitude journal listing 3-5 things that you are grateful for every day.

For more information I run regular Detox to Great Health workshops in Sydney.