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For years I have tried to find the perfect granola to satisfy a snack or morning meal – not too sweet, not too bland, not artificial, not with gluten, not with soy… I never even once considered making the crunchy treat myself. I though it would be too cumbersome or tedious, and not worth the effort. How untrue! With this recipe I found on foodnetwork (doctored up a bit to boost health benefits), we now have fresh-made granola whenever we want at my house.
Coffee is a highly controversial substance among the health community, but I will be the first to admit the pleasurable taste (and effects) of a nice warm cup of joe. So I’ll begin with editorial disclosure, follow up with the research and conclude with what Chinese medicine has to say. Join me in the pursuit of the healthy bean after the jump.
Acupuncture, Fertility, Fire, Health & Fitness, Herbs, New York, Nutrition, Uncategorized, Winter, Women's Health
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"Erin Hessel", Acupuncture, Borbay, Caffeine, Chinese Medicine, Coffee, Dunn Bros, Energetics of Coffee, Food Therapy, Health Effects of Caffeine, Heart Disease, Insomnia, My Coffee Face, Nutrition, Qi, Tony Black
Last night’s Wellness Event, hosted by PURE Yoga East was a huge success and loads of fun. Many thanks to all the wonderful folks who turned out, and to PURE for hosting such a holistic event in their serene space. A truly inspiring group! See a photo recap after the jump.
I’d like to formally invite you to a Wellness Event hosted by PURE Yoga East tomorrow evening, Wednesday, February 24th 6:30-8:30pm. I will have a table at this event, offering complimentary herbal snacks, tongue and pulse readings, and ear acu-pressure for stress relief. Please stop by to learn more! If you already know the wonderful benefits of Chinese medicine, then come by to see the beautiful studio space PURE has to offer and meet other health practitioners. Yoga is a wonderful way to enhance the healing benefits of Chinese medicine, and I particularly endorse PURE for their variety and quantity of classes (over 100 classes per week, featuring 21 different styles of yoga).
This event is complimentary to both members and non-members alike, so please take advantage of this wonderful evening of health. For more information about taking a class at PURE, contact Shaun – one of PURE’s experienced Yoga Advisers (shaun.Bradley@pureyoga.com).
To RSVP for this event, please call 212.360. 1888. To read more about this event, click here.
Hope to see you there!
Namaste,
Erin
PS: New Clinic Information for ESEMA Healing Arts at the Berkley Center Coming Soon!
As a licensed acupuncturist, and blogger on the subject, I probably should have publicly answered this question some time ago. It has recently come to my attention that while many people enjoy the profound benefits of acupuncture in blissful ignorance of its how’s and why’s, there is another camp with rising curiosity on what it all means. As my Danish host-mother always used to say in reference to my consistently belated holiday cards: “Bedre sent end aldrig!” (Better late than never).
Fitness guru Patricia Moreno has authored her first book, in response to her revolutionary work-out program developed to align the body, mind and spirit. A long-time student of Patricia’s, I have experienced first-hand the immense benefits to her system: a stronger body, a clearer mind, a more precise focus and increased confidence. While retraining thought patterns from negative to positive and strengthening core muscles, her guidance offers lasting results. The strong dance influence and positive affirmation make her program fun- the best part of all. The Intensati method provides a complete work-out, and has my enthusiastic endorsement.
As a practitioner of mind-body medicine, I understand the importance of addressing this connection in all areas of our lives. All to often is exercise seen as a “burden” or “cumbersome” – a necessary evil in life. Rather, movement is the foundation of life, and should cultivate gratitude, positivity and spiritual growth along with physical changes. The Intensati Method does this, beautifully. Not only transforming our bodies, but also our thoughts. Contrary to yoga, which is another form of exercise I often recommend, Patricia’s routines provide additional cardio training without harsh impact (such as running), an important health aspect for many individuals.
Check the Intensati website for class times. If you are unable to attend a class with her personally, she has trained a whole team of inspiring instructors who offer Intensati classes across the United States. With the release of her new book (in stores now!) and work-out DVD’s, anyone can practice this revolutionary program anywhere.
If you are ready to change your relationship to exercise, to yourself and the world around you, check out the important tips from Patricia Moreno. Her knowledge, experience, and magnetism will inspire you to truly “live a life you love, in a body you love.”
Ever thought that your morning muffin or stir-fry lunch contained not just sustenance, but healing properties? Ancient Chinese medical theory has ascribed certain energetics and functions to many common foods, that still remain true today. Such properties are very different from nutritional values (vitamins, calories, fats, fiber, etc), which came later in the evolution of the nature of food. Let’s take watermelon (Xi Gua) as an example of this idea: our analytical mind knows that this delicious fruit is sweet, refreshing and nutritious with its high water content and fiber. The energetics of this food according to Chinese theory are cooling and damp draining, and therefore can prevent heat stroke on a hot summer day and promote healthy water metabolism by ridding edema. A more relevant example for the winter season would be lamb (Yang Rou), which is warming to the system and promotes optimum functioning.
Food therapy is considered to be the number one treatment in preventative care and healing therapy. In modern China, there are special restaurants where one can go to receive tailored medicinal meals. After a visit with the Chinese medicine doctor, a pattern diagnosis is ascribed which can then be brought to the chef at such a restaurant. Food will then be prepared in accordance with individual needs – to nourish, eliminate or course any given imbalance. This notion contradicts the idea that one particular diet is best for everyone, but rather tailors nutritional choices based on individual need. What may help one person lose weight and feel energetic, may not be the right fit for someone else. I had the fortune of experiencing this model for myself at the medicinal food restaurant across from the hospital during my one-year clinical rotation in Hangzhou, China.
Chinese herbal medicine utilizes the combination of roots, barks, leaves, stems and berries to promote health and vitality. It only makes sense that Chinese Herbal Medicine and Food Therapy often overlap, with many herbal ingredients ending up on typical supermarket shelves. The following is a delicious trailmix you can make at home, as your own “herbal formula prescription.” In addition to curbing hunger between meals, or giving an energy boost before a work-out, this mix is high in antioxidents, essential fatty acids and protein. From the Chinese perspective, it is nourishing to the kidneys; promotes mental clarity, memory function; improves libido, energy and digestion. Enjoy!
Goji Berries/Wolfberries
Gou Qi Zi -Nourishes the kidney energy, enhances fertility, memory, and sexual function
Walnut Halves
Hu Tao Ren -Promotes brain function, mental clarity
Black Sesame Seeds
Huo Ma Ren -Nourishes blood, improves vision and sluggish digestion. Black sesame has the additional benefit of promoting lactation in breast-feeding women.
*I like Mrs. May’s Black Sesame Crunch Squares, they are slightly sweetened with honey that provides a great flavor and also aids digestion.
This post is a proud participant in the Kathleen Show’s Prevention Not Prescriptions Blog - a great place for other resources to stay healthy.
Depression affects the quality of life for many individuals year-round, but has a significant increase in the winter months. As the sunlight reduces, the weather gets colder, and the sky gets gloomier – we, too, experience these changes in our bodies and state-of mind. There are many natural things we can do to boost our moods and elevate seasonal depression (commonly known as “SAD,” or Seasonal Affective Disorder). However, as those of you who have experienced even slight depression know, the motivation to implement such changes can be difficult, if non-existent once the blues have hit.
Choose Your Support
So, what to do? First off, find the resources around you and seek help. Consulting with a health care professional is an important catalyst in transforming your blues into bliss. It can also help combat the isolation that often accompanies mood changes. It is my experience that with chronic or severe emotional distress, there is no “one” help and calling on a variety of resources yields stronger, more lasting results. Here are some tools you may want to try:
How Acupuncture Can Help
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), does not treat “depression” per say, but rather the person who is experiencing depression. Different individuals can experience the discomforts of depression from a variety of causes – or, as we call them, patterns. In treating depression, your acupuncturist first must find your unique pattern diagnosis and from there, begin to strengthen your system and ease discomfort. Acupuncture can help to greatly reduce emotional and physical stress and the somatic pain that often accompanies emotional upset. Best of all, it will not interfere negatively with any other therapy or prescriptions you may be receiving, but complement them by tapping into the root of your constitutional nature.
Herbal remedies may also be a good option for occasional slumps or mood swings. Unlike acupuncture, which must be administered by a licensed professional and usually done only 1-2 times per week, an herbal formula can follow you home and become a daily treatment. When prescribed by a licensed practitioner, herbal formulas are completely safe, and can help the body harmonize from the inside out.
For more information on how to incorporate the benefits of acupuncture into your emotional wellness plan, please contact us.
Reduce Cravings
Improve Energy
Alleviate Joint Pain
Reduce Muscle Fatigue
Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
Jump Start Your Metabolism
Regulate Hormone Function
Detoxify the System
Reduce Stress
It is that time of year again…for making those promises to ourselves that we have been putting off through the busy holidays. One of the most common New Years Resolutions is to lose weight, and it is also the least kept. Why? The culprit may be coming from a constitutional level. There are many factors that can cause excessive weight gain and an inability to lose weight such as undetected food allergies, stress, anxiety, depression, unstable glucose levels, or inflammatory responses such as arthritis, chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine offer time-tested remedies to help strengthen your individual system at the root level so that you can lose weight efficiently, and keep it off for good. Reducing cravings, improving energy, alleviating joint pain and muscle fatigue, regulating metabolism and reducing stress are just some of the added benefits of incorporating acupuncture and herbal formulas into your weight loss resolution.
Going in for a facial can not only be an expensive endeavor, but depending on the place also involve harsh products that can be irritating to sensitive skin. Here is a simple and effective facial you can do at home – using most of what already is in your fridge (plus a couple of extras you can pick up on your next trip to Chinatown). This facial is great for normalizing skin color, reducing blemishes and the appearance of fine lines.
If you are looking for a facial to remove deep facial lines, wrinkles, or to lift sagging skin, Acupuncture paired with this facial can be of tremendous benefit. Without surgery or botox or collagen, an acupuncture facial gives lasting results for a natural radiance. Special training is necessary to perform cosmetic acupuncture. Please seek out professionals with such certifications or email me and I will help you find someone in your area (I do not have this certification myself, my area of expertise lies more in internal medicine).
Here is the secret, easy, at-home facial straight from my facial acupuncturist to you. Enjoy!
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