Ah – Honey, Honey. You are my Candy Girl – and you’ve got me wanting you.

Addictive just like the girl in the Archies song, sugar can have a strong hold over many a sweet-tooth. It is a hot topic in the health world and even entering political legislature. We all know to avoid sugary foods for maintaining good health, but sometimes this task feels next to agonizingly impossible (you know, when that 4:30pm chocolate-chip cookie literally lured you out of the office). More and more studies are showing that difficulty curbing those cravings is not merely a reflection of will-power, but may be the result of a chemical dependency. Despite efforts to eliminate desserts, ice cream and other obvious culprits, find out where else sugar is hiding in foods you might not have guessed.

Health Risks

So what is the big deal with refined sugary treats?  They give us a boost of quick energy, taste delicious, soothe our emotions and add a little touch of sweetness to our lives. The processing of such sugar products makes them have almost no nutritional value (what nutritionists call “empty calories”), which means we digest them incredibly fast, causing hormonal fluctuations, blood sugar spikes, energy highs & lows and excessive hunger. This part feels not so great. The worst of it is that when our body becomes accustomed to refined sugary foods as a main staple the highs and lows may not be as noticeable, but our body is struggling at alarming rate – leaving us prone to obesity, aggravated PCOS and PMS symptoms, diabetes and heart disease.

Yes – heart disease! Why? Because when the body is fueled by refined carbohydrates (including white flour and sugar), it becomes inflamed, making it hard to circulate fluids, blood and nutrients around the body. As the blood vessels swell, we are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Cut the sugar, cut the inflammation and heal your circulatory system.

Sugar’s Not Illegal, But You’ll Have to Pay More For It

In an effort to reduce the consumption of sugary-beverages (and thus attempting to have an impact on declining Obesity statistics, New York City Governor, David Patterson, is implementing a Sugar Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Tax. Sugary sodas, bottled teas, coffees and energy drinks will be taxed higher for every ounce of the sugar-laden product while eliminating current taxes attached to bottled water and other low calorie bottled beverages. The goal being that if people can’t kick the sugary drinks for their own health, that by putting their pocketbooks in charge will make the decision easier for them. To read the full proposed SSB Tax Package, click here.

Perhaps there is some merit to this…but a part of me believes that if you want (ahem – or crave) the Coca-Cola, you’ll buy the Coca-Cola (even if a bottle of water a few cents cheaper). If the proposed tax law is what it takes to motivate an open discussion and investigation on the impact of sugar on individual health, then that is a step forward right there.

More Than  Question of Will

Like addictions of other sorts, sugar dependence depends on individual constitution- a predisposition of sorts. Some people can indulge and never think about it again, while others crave that sugary treat – constantly ruminating about when and where the next will come from and how delicious it will taste and make them feel. The latter response is a question of body chemistry. Sugar immediately feeds our brains with necessary neurotransmitters which then sends out a “feel good” response to the entire body. The problem is that this sensation wears off quite quickly, leaving us feeling worse than before we started.  This type of reaction can also ignite some withdrawal symptoms when sugar is omitted, encouraging us to go right back into the cookie jar.

Emotions do play a part too. Growing up in the midwest, there wasn’t a day that my mother (or grandmother) didn’t have some fresh baked treat coming out of the oven. The joys of helping build the batter, the smell that fills the house while it bakes and the time spent enjoying it together. These are deep memories, ingrained, and pleasant. What happy memory came out of brown rice cakes and peanut butter? While taking care of our physical health, we need to be kind to our emotional health. This article is not meant for you to stop baking devils-food cake with grandma, but to be more conscious of the big picture. Home-made goods tend to have a lot less sugar than store-bought ones, and you have the freedom to tweak the recipe if you want. An avid baker myself, I’ve found the past-time can become much healthier (and still very tasty!) by exchanging refined ingredients for more energizing ones – like in my banana-fig bread.

Your body needs carbohydrates. They have an important function on brain chemistry, hormonal balance and systemic health. These systems respond optimally when we feed ourselves complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, potatoes, yams and other root vegetables.  Check out this great explanation of the difference between simple and complex carbs: click here.

The Sugar Behind The Salt

Avoiding dessert is not enough when it comes to eliminating the sugar-cycle, but all refined flours and corn syrups must also be taken into consideration. Although you can taste the difference between a chewy white bagel and a piece of chocolate cake, your body doesn’t know the difference as far as digestion is concerned. White flour and white sugar are essentially the same when it comes to nutritional value (none), expedited digestion (because there is no nutrition or fiber), and thus leading to the same inflammatory responses.  If you must have your morning bagel, try to upgrade to whole grain. Even better, add some peanut butter, a fried egg or cream cheese as protein slows the digestion of carbohydrates so you feel fuller longer and have more stabilized energy.

Get conscious as a consumer, and evaluate what you choose to put in your body. It is not about eliminating decadence from  your life, but moderating it – so you can feel your best and live a long healthy life. When reducing refined carbohydrates, limit the following to give your self the best possible scenario:

• White Flours (breads, pasta, white rice)
• White Sugars
• Brown Sugars
• Candy
• Alcohol (filled with sugary calories – especially flavored liquors, whiskeys, rum, brandy and wine)
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (careful…it’s in almost everything on your supermarket shelves)

Sweet Alternatives: A Sugar-Lovers Cheat Sheet

While most health practitioners out there agree that if you are going to kick the sweet-tooth for good, then that means cutting out anything naturally sweet (extremists will even include fresh fruit in this category). For some individuals, this period of extreme elimination is necessary to cut the cravings as even a healthier sweetness will set off the desire for more. But here are some tricks to try to eliminate the refined sugars from your life while still including a little sweetness:

• Fresh Fruit: full of natural sugars and carbohydrates that will hydrate the body, offer plenty of vitamins and other nutrients, and a low glycemic index (meaning less blood sugar spikes and pitfalls). Truly the perfect addition after a meal or to hot oatmeal in the morning.
• Agave Nectar: considered a ‘wonder plant’ this very sweet syrup is completely natural, derived from the Agave Cactus and actually offers health benefits – including anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties (the complete antithesis of pure sugar). Agave contains substances like Inulin and Saponins, which actually improve digestion and may even promote weight loss. With a low-glycemic index, Agave Nectar won’t add to the afternoon slump or low spikes in blood sugar.
• Honey: Our friends the bees have created a perfect substance for providing a little sweetness to our lives, and our health. With naturally occurring digestive enzymes, anti-germicidal and anti-microbial properties, honey can help curb an upset stomach or IBS  by cleansing the digestive tract. It has also been shown to be helpful in reducing allergy symptoms.
• 100% Pure Maple Syrup: A naturally occurring sap from a variety of trees, this viscous amber liquid contains many minerals and vitamins, including zinc and maganese (both important for heart health). The darker the amber (available in Grade A Light, Medium, Dark and Grade B), the stronger the flavor. Be careful not to be mistaken by Pure Maple-Flavored Syrup, which is a simple-sugary substitute.
• Reduce Simple Carbohydrates: The body doesn’t know the difference between white flour and white sugar – it breaks it down the same. So, your sugar-free roll may be giving you the same spikes in blood sugar as a candy bar. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains will offer more fiber and protein to your diet, reducing the glycemic load.
• Pair a Protein: Nuts, seeds, eggs, beans, legumes and animal protein will help slow the digestion of carbohydrates – keeping you fuller longer and your energy stable. So if you are going to have a fluffy white bagel, pair it with some peanut butter or cream cheese to help your blood sugar out.

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone!

There is plenty of support out there to help you curb your sugar-habit so you can develop a healthier relationship with it. Acupuncture is a great way to stabilize the hormone and metabolic system, also helps curb cravings so avoiding is much easier. We have a great elimination diet protocol, filled with recipes and substitutes to make this challenge a lot easier and a lot more rewarding.

Coffee built the foundation for my work ethic and professional enthusiasm when I accepted my first job as a barista and coffee-roaster at Dunn Bros Coffee in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Yep, that’s right, I was a coffee-roaster. You may not see these around most coffee shops, but Dunn Bros prides themselves on the sacks of raw beans from over a dozen countries that surround the giant roaster at each location (and admittedly, I take pride in knowing firsthand the process from harvest to brewed beans). Perhaps it was from witnessing the smooth-beige colored Ethiopian bean turn to a silky-rich-brown color as it cooked and crackled that molded my perception of coffee as more a ritual than drug (similar to the way the Chinese and Japanese view Tea).   

Coffee, itself, has been around forever and can be considered a “natural product.” However, as the coffee industry has grown over the centuries, the plants have become more and more laden with pesticides and the farmers more and more abused. For that reason, I always recommend buying organic or fair trade coffee when available to support sustainable resources – so that coffee will be around (along with our planet) for years to come.

The Health Controversy

The arguments against coffee are mostly due to its caffeine content, which is about three-times higher in an 8oz cup of coffee versus a shot of espresso, an 8oz cup of green or black tea or a 12oz soda. Even a cup of decaf-coffee can still contain up to 5mg of caffeine. The initial perils of coffee was the suspected link between caffeine and heart disease.  Current research has shown, however, that caffeine is not necessarily a direct contributor to heart diseaseand that coffee itself may have health benefits such as preventing Parkinson’s Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Liver Cancer. Sodas and energy drinks pose a larger threat to heart disease than coffee or tea, for example, due to their high sugar content that escalates the inflammatory response. Caffeine, however, has shown to increase stress hormones in certain people, which can then lead to cardiovascular disease or emotional disturbances such as anxiety. It is important to discuss with your health care provider what is the most appropriate approach for your health. In general, I find that patients trying to get pregnant, or who are suffering from anxiety, sleep disorders or breast issues often benefit from weaning themselves off coffee. 

The Chinese Medicine Viewpoint

As I have discussed in previous posts, Chinese Food Therapy utilizes the energetic functions of foods to “treat” conditions of the body. Coffee is no stranger to these findings. Energetically, coffee is very yang, or moving. It causes things to “get-going” in the body, which can sometimes begin to deplete the body of its natural ability to ignite it’s own engines, so to speak. We say this directly affects the kidney energy, which can be likened to adrenal function in Western medicine. Also, it can lead to an excess of heat in the body, causing insomnia, heart palpitations, digestive upset or irritability. Since the body’s energy is moving more, people who come in for acupuncture after their morning coffee often are more sensitive to the treatment as their qi is more on the surface. 

On the flip side, the benefit of coffee is said to tonify the heart qi – giving a feeling of joy and calm in certain constitutional types. It can also facilitate healthy respiration before a big workout by circulating the lung energy. In general, however, coffee does not have many real clinical implications in Chinese medicine – but it does give us a baseline to work with in helping people on their journey to optimum health. Just like anything else, portion control can make all the difference (such as consuming 60oz of coffee per day vs. 8oz). Personally, I tend to come from the school of thought: “everything in moderation,” and if I firmly believe deleting coffee from a patients diet will drastically improve their health – I can sympathize because I know how much comfort and benefit can come from our ritual coffee.

Coffee Enthusiasts

This post was inspired by my friend, Tony Black, who is a real coffee enthusiast – so much so that he has created a blog dedicated to images of people with their morning cup. It is a fun site, and a true testament to the ritual we have created around coffee way beyond the Starbucks phenomenon. Check it out and see Borbayand my-self’s featured photos in this week’s edition.  

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!

Herbal Trail Mix – Common Names with Chinese Names and Functions           

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.

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:

• Implementing an appropriate exercise routine (which will vary for each individual)
• Tap into your creative expression (such as journal writing, art/music/dance therapy)
• Dietary and lifestyle changes (such as increasing essential fatty acid intake, vitamins and minerals and decreasing sugar and refined food)
• Consulting with a professional psychologist or psychiatrist
• Nourishing constitutional patterns and reducing stress with a holistic modality (acupuncture, herbal medicine, reiki)
• Reduce your stress (yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture)

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.

Winter, Water, Kidneys & You

In Chinese medicine, winter applies to the Water Element in 5-element theory. Although it comes in the form of snow and ice, water is truly an abundant part of the winter landscape. When transcribed to the human body, the kidneys and urinary bladder are responsible for water metabolism (both energetically and physically) and are a pivotal part of the Water element. Yin and Yang are interdependent forces prevalent in all aspects of life, but winter is rooted in a strong sense of yin. In this regard, yin can be understood through the cool and still nature of the season. A teacher of mine once explained the water element as the bottom bedrock on the ocean floor – the deep, dark, solid root of something so powerful and majestic. I like to translate this metaphor to the body, with representation to the powerful root to within each of us – our individual potential.

Aside from the physiologic function we know from Western medicine, the kidneys represent our root essence (genetic makeup) and the urinary bladder has relevance to the nervous system. Memory, brain function, reproductive function, bone growth, and systemic development are also important aspects of kidney energy in the body. The emotion of fear or fright is ascribed to the Water element, and is often a relative factor in someone with constitutional tendencies toward this element. The winter is a perfect time to strengthen and nourish these energetic organs.

Nourishing the Kidneys and Urinary Bladder

Nature gives us the tools we need for nourishing the ascribed element and organ systems, and the number one way to do this in the winter months is to hibernate. Rest, warmth, sleep. This is the time to slow down, and nature forces us to do that with the gifts of cold and snow. The weather change literally forces us to move inward – into our homes, into the warmth, into ourselves. It is a time for introspection, meditation, and conservation of resources.

During winter, the land is frozen and there is no growth or harvest. That which is leftover from the fall becomes nourishment for the winter. Canned vegetables, sauced apples, gourds, squashes and meats for hearty stews are important for building the root aspect in ourselves. There are plenty of herbs and teas for nourishing the kidneys during this time, and depending on individual constitution will depend on the formula focus. Even if you are feeling healthy, the beginning of winter can be a great to time for visiting your acupuncturist to help guide your body into the energetics of the season and promote tonification.

Enjoy the beautiful season of winter. Take a moment to listen to the quietude outside and reflect into the depths of yourself. Use the space provided to cultivate that which satisfies and nourishes you, regenerating the resources necessary for the coming spring and summer.