Five Element Healthcare

Classical and Contemporary Healthcare

The I Ching at this time of Crisis

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Inherent in Five Element Acupuncture is an understanding of the what the Taoist called The Way of Heaven. A realization of the connectedness of all of life, from the influences of the seasons, the stars and planets to our daily life here on earth.

The Taoists teach us that all of life is change. The five elements are the map of this unending change. It shows us how change manifests, in what order and what the appropriate actions are in each phase of change.

One of the greatest books describing the movement of the elements is the I Ching. A philosophical, religious and medical text, assembled over thousands of years of observed change by the ancient sages. The I Ching, is often simply called the ‘book of change”. Change is certain and the natural state of life; only the principles of change never change

The 29th Hexagram of the I Ching has much to teach us about the time we are living in now.

Hexagram 29 is comprised of the trigram water over the trigram water. Double water; uncertainty, fear, anxiety, depleted resources. The theme is falling, but not drowned; in danger but not lost. This hexagram advises us to sooth our hearts and minds and maintain our confidence. With faith, caution and trust this situation can be survived.

The I Ching hexagrams are not positive or negative in themselves. They are hopeful, no matter how dark they may sound. What they tell us is what actions and virtues are called for in this situation. Knowing these actions allows us to be in the Tao of the moment and prosper regardless of the present situation.

Taoist master A. Huang puts it simply:

Things cannot go on forever in an excess state. Thus, after a great exceeding, darkness follows.
Doubled darkness,
Be sincere and truthful,
Rely on heart and mind,
Prosperous and smooth
Deeds will be honored.

There is darkness all around us now and certainly danger as well. The I Ching suggests you take no rash action at this time but follow the way of heaven. Engage in prosperous deeds. You may be poised over a pit but it is not bottomless. There is hope. This situation will not go on forever.

What is called for now is right action. In times of darkness strive for little things; tend to your home and garden, be sincere and truthful. Let your heart lead your actions.

In the words of a modern day Japanese sensei : “then I guarantee: no problem”

Build Your Vitamin D Naturally

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Now is the time to begin building your Vitamin D naturally. When it is sunny, spend some time in the sun. With no sun tan lotion for some part of the time. If you do this regularly this spring and summer, you can begin the reduce your vitamin D drops. Here are a few helpful hints from the Vitamin D council:

March marks the first month that everyone around the world can receive adequate vitamin D from safe sun exposure. However, March is also the month when vitamin D levels are the lowest for those living in northern mid-latitudes.

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine, but keep in mind these important facts:

  1. Do NOT burn. You only need to expose your skin for around half the time it takes for your skin to turn pink.
  2. Wait to apply sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks vitamin D production. So, while it’s important to protect your skin, allow yourself some time outside in the sunshine without sunscreen.
  3. If your shadow is shorter than you are tall, the sun is at the right angle for your skin to make vitamin D.

Spring Cleaning

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With spring comes the urge to start anew and spring cleaning is a real life impulse. With this impulse comes the call from healthcare practitioners to fast. Though it is a good idea to clean out after a winter of heavier foods and less exercise, fasts are not necessarily good for you. Many are extreme and can weaken you at a time when the the flu and other viruses are at their peak in Portland. Also many of these fast are too extreme for those raising families or working long hours. Rather than be cleaned out you become depleted. Under most circumstances we do not recommend fasts that restrict calorie intake drastically or end up with no solid food intake for a number on days. Another issue with fasts is the ability of the body to handle the toxins that are excreted during a fast. It is necessary for the lymph system, kidney and liver to be in good enough shape to allow an exit pathway for any toxins excreted in a fast.

So what can we do? Start sensibly.

Here is a list of things you can do now to clean up your energy for spring that will not harm you.

  1. Revisit your water intake. Remember that you need to drink one half of your body weight in fluid ounces each day to be properly hydrated. If you weight 150 LBS then you need 75 fluid ounces a day of pure water. That is approximately three quarts. It is best to drink most of that in the morning, late morning or early afternoon. When you awaken you are the most dehydrated and most in need of fresh water.
  2. Stop your intake of fatty rich foods, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine in any form for three weeks. The first step in a good cleanse is to stop putting foods that challenge your liver and kidneys into our diet. For many people this will be all the fast they need. If you must have some caffeine, try a weak brew of green tea, steeped one minute at the most.
  3. Have your meals be simple and small. Lightly steam your vegetables, easy up on the carbohydrates and either cut back on or eliminate meats depending on your blood type (see Live Right For Your Type by Dr. D’Adamo). Eat at home when ever possible and keep the recipes simple, very little spicy or rich ingredients. Simple broths, salads, warm soups and especially miso soup are good cleansers. (remember soy miso is a fermented soy, I use a chick pea miso and avoid the soy issue entirely).
  4. Add a sauna to your regime. A dry sauna for 10 to 30 minutes three times a week will do a lot to cleanse the body and help remove heavy metals that many of us in this modern world are exposed to. Remember to add a quart of water to those sauna days. Also, remember to shower and scrub your skin with a rough towel or loofa after the sauna. Otherwise the toxins on the skin reabsorb within ten to twenty minutes.
  5. There are a number of herbal and home remedies for a cleansing. The simple olive oil, lemon juice and cayenne formula is very popular. However the problem with many of these is that they may cause a toxic download but they do little to make sure you have the capacity to eliminate these toxins from your body. If the lymph glands, liver and kidneys are not prepared for a detox program the toxins will just recirculate into your body. All that fasting for nothing. At the office we use a homeopathic regime that can be used alone or with a fast to clean out unwanted toxins and heavy metals. Taken twice a day, only 15 minutes away from food, these powerful biological homeopathics are a good way to cleanse your body throughly even without a fast. I do this twice a year for myself and have found it extremely helpful. For more information on these homeopathics ask about them at your next acupuncture visit or call or email the office.

Spring Allergies

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In early February patient complaints of seasonal allergies begin. Runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, scratchy throat, sneezing, fatigue and insomnia are common complaints of season allergies. Besides annoying they can leave us vulnerable to colds, flu, sinus infections, bronchitis and even pneumonia.

There are dietary recommendations we have for those suffering with seasonal allergies. we also suggest that you drink plenty of fresh water; one half your body weight in Fluid ounces each day. Also shower completely, including your hair before bed, don’t take that pollen to bed with you. Use of a neti pot two or three times a day can be of enormous help during the worst of the season.

Chinese medicine has many treatment strategies to offer to combat this distress. Regular acupuncture treatments during this time can help alleviate much of the symptoms. There are often meridian blocks that appear in those suffering from allergies. For those with severe allergies, the additional use of Chinese herbs are needed. We have a number of formulas that have proven effective.