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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!
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.
Tonight, I will be hitting the town for New York Artist Borbay’s first opening in Manhattan: Urbania. This is a one-night only exclusive showing at M&T Bank near the FlatIron Building, and you are all invited. Bring yourself and bring friends – beverages will be provided and visual works on display. Hope to see you there!
Press Release and Other Interesting Stuff
1.18.2010 | Huffington Post | Long Interview re: Art, Urbania, Life
1.19.2010 | TONY | Mention in “Own This City” – Slideshow of Work, launching 1.20.2010
1.18.2010 | Pieces Showcased | On my blog
1.16.2010 | Time Out New York | Print Mention on Page Four
12.18.2009 | Time Out New York | Voted Time Out New York’s Most Creative New Yorker
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.
A Winter Wonderland From My Home in Minnesota
Dad & Me Toasting the Season with a Holiday Sambuca
The Newlyweds! My Sister Kelsey & her Husband Jason
Mom & Me: Ready for our Traditional Potato Soup Christmas Eve Dinner
Grandpa Jo & Grandma Cheryl Celebrating with Chocolate
Our NYC Apartment Tree 2009
Cookies: A Christmas Favorite
Jason & I Warming Up Inside on a Snowy Day
A gift from our good friend Justin
In good health,
Erin
It is official, winter has begun in New York City. With a snowstorm leaving several inches of white powder on the city streets this morning, it reminds me of the wonder of this sometimes chilling season. Growing up in Minnesota, snow and cold temperature are no news to me. But still, the first snowfall of the year leaves me feeling full of awe and wonder…it is a magical experience.
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.
It is a mother’s worst nightmare and a huge set-back for adults. But the reality is, bones can break at any age – even strong ones. From a wrong step on uneven road to a high-impact sports injury, the severity of the break can only be determined through proper medical attention and X Ray. Although one never plans for such an event, it is good to know your options to promote the most optimum healing.
Trauma
Depending on the location and severity of the break, it may be difficult to determine if the area is sprained, fractured or actually broken with the naked eye. The first thing to do is elevate it, stabilize it, and get in for an X Ray to know the damage. There are various levels of breakage and degrees of separation of the bones. The image above is of a broken fibula (my current case – see more below), which occurred during a late-night ice hockey game. As you can see, the bone broke all the way through, but did not shift laterally leaving it in perfect alignment. The swelling that immediately took place is the bodies natural response to hold the bone and ankle joint in place.
With swelling always comes the risk for stagnation, a term in Chinese medicine referring quite literally to obstructed free-flow. Stagnation is not only detectable by visual swelling, but also by the severity of pain. It is safe to assume that the more pain there is with swelling, the more stagnation there is. Although some level of swelling – or stagnation – is good because it is the bodies natural way to stabilize the bone, we want to be sure that proper nourishment can flow to the trauma and that nothing gets trapped in the area as it heals. Unattended stagnation can lead to further pain down the road, reduced mobility, or area weakness. As the trauma heals, acupuncture and herbs can help circulate the area – allowing debris and toxins to to move away and nourishment to move in.
The first thing to do is distal acupuncture and application of the herbal liniment San Huang San. This will reduce any unnecessary heat or inflammation trapped at the site and promote healthy circulation. Because of its cooling effect, it should not be used for more than 24 hour post-trauma. The same goes for ice. (I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it…) but the main cause of stagnation in trauma-healing is the over application of ice. Ice constricts blood flow in the area and decreases circulation. It can cause debris and blood to congeal, and although it may provide temporary relief of the pain it may also cause more problems later on in the area. Remember to follow your own doctors advice and intuition, but also keep this in mind next time and see for yourself. Perhaps you will notice the increased mobility and strength of the injured area once it has healed after leaving the ice bag in the freezer during rehabilitation.
Bone Mending
Bone mending will occur on its own through the bodies innate healing potential. The first thing before bone mending takes place (whether naturally or with assistance of acupuncture and herbs) is to be sure the bones are properly aligned. If not, this will cause the bones to mend askew and may require setting or surgery. The X Ray above has perfect bone alignment for mending to begin, it was a lucky break (har har).
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help promote healing and bone-mending in accordance with your body’s natural ability. Herbal medicine is a great first-line of defense when mobility is a problem and getting to an acupuncturist is not feasible. My colleague, Frank Butler, is a renowned orthopedic acupuncturist and has developed a whole line of herbal trauma medicine. These powerful pills come in easy-to-use chewable pills and recommended at various stages in healing. Like most Chinese Herbs, they aren’t the easiest flavor to swallow, patients will attest that eventually you “just get used to it.” Check out his whole list of Zheng Gui Tui Na products here.
Once you feel able to get in to your acupuncturists office, they can help tremendously to facilitate appropriate healing. Depending on the phase of healing will depend on the treatment. There is a common misconception that acupuncture is best when there is no more trauma and the patient feels better. Internal medicine and trauma treatment alike, acupuncture and herbs are most effective when used in conjunction with Western medical therapy and when begun right away. In the case of traumatic injury, repetitive and regular acupuncture is best. This will ensure the proper healing of the area now- it is a lot more difficult to undue improper healing later. Treatment every day in the acute phase is ideal if feasible, with a reduction in frequency as the healing process continues.
The Case
In the case above, the injury is a week old, and we have begun acupuncture surrounding the break site, combined with electrical stimulation. This is easy to do thanks to the removable cast used in modern trauma treatment (as opposed to the plaster ones of my childhood). The electrical stimulation mimics the current in the body as bone fibers begin to mend. This helps facilitate the process so that stabilization of the area can be achieved quicker. Other techniques include distal point prescription and opposite extremity therapy. I am performing acupuncture on the area daily, and the patient is taking the “Bone Knitting” internal herbs mentioned above (Zheng Gu Tui Na). Currently, the level of break is visible in the X Ray above and the exterior condition is as follows:
We shall see how he responds in the long run. Ultimately, his doctors expect the injury to take at least 6 weeks before significant improvement, and about 6-months to 1 year until completely back to hockey-playing strength. With the acupuncture and herbal treatment, we hope there will be no future implications from the trama. I will keep you posted as the healing process continues.
Please note that the patient being discussed has given permission to do so in this format, and all indentifying information is being kept confidential in accordance with HIPPA.
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