ESEMA Healing Arts » PMS

Easy At-Home Facial & Natural Acne Care

Erin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:01:24 +0000

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!

It all begins with the incredible-edible-egg! Put a small amount of egg white into a shallow bowl. When using a fresh egg (which is best), you will only need about 1/3 of the white. Save the rest to make a nourishing omelet or egg-drop soup to enjoy later. Beat the egg-white with a whisk or fork until frothy. You can skip right to application if you just want the pure healing effects of an egg-white facial, or you can try one or more of the next steps to spice it up a bit. I usually add the pearl powder and one of the essential oils to my facial mix for optimum results.

Pearl powder is just that: finely ground pearls, or Zhen Zhu Mu, and is used both topically and internally for its healing effects on the skin. The external form can be purchased in Chinatown in small individual vials like the photo above. It is fairly inexpensive and a small kit like this will last for numerous facials. The pearl powder has a unique way of lighting up dark or red skin irritations and even out overall skin-tone. I use about half of one of those little vials, but for more severe discoloration or redness, use one whole vial per facial.

An over the counter internal remedy often used for treating acne is Zhen Zhu An Chuang Wan (Margarite Acne Pills), which can be purchased at most Chinese Herbal Pharmacies as well. If acne is an issue, the help of an experienced Chinese Herbalist may be of greater benefit along with your external facial regimen.

I like to add a drop of 100% pure essential oil to invigorate the facial and provide relaxation through aromatherapy. Pure Bergamont is good for oily to normal skin, particularly with concentrated blackheads or clogged pores. For sensitive, fine, or red/irritated blemishes, use pure lavender oil instead. Personally, I recommend Young Living Essential Oils as a high quality brand, but most health foods stores will carry something of similar grade. Young Living makes a particular blend of Angelica Herb and Bergamont that I personally like. It is gentle, soothing, and especially helpful for skin problems coinciding pre-menstrually. Use only 1 drop of any oil for the entire facial, and mix well with the pearl powder and egg white.

Use a small, thin brush to apply the mixture. The only clean brush I often have is a little too large (see above), but it does the job. Using your fingers to apply is a little more difficult as the egg white slips right off them. Make sure your face is clean and dry before applying. Cover the entire face and jaw line, leaving circles around the eyes. Relax for 10-20 minutes. The mask will become hard and tight. Simply remove with warm water.

Any blemishes or irritations left after the mask is removed can be covered with Castor oil or your favorite moisturizer. Repeat as often as once/week for optimum results.

Easy At-Home Facial & Natural Acne Care

Erin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:01:24 +0000

Here is the secret, easy, at-home facial straight from my facial acupuncturist to you. Enjoy!

Any blemishes or irritations left after the mask is removed can be covered with Castor oil or your favorite moisturizer. Repeat as often as once/week for optimum results.

Your Menstrual Cycle – Broken Down

Erin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:35:25 +0000

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the menstrual cycle is regarded as a major foundation for health and diagnosis in female patients. Pathology in the body – be it emotional or physical imbalance – will often reflect itself in a woman’s cycle. With this concept, a woman’s cycle plays a pivotal role in her health care, allowing practitioners to accurately diagnose and treat their patients, and empowering women to understand their body’s signals. Although all of the energetic organ systems play a role in a woman’s cycle, the liver qi is said to have the most specific role (and can therefore most often be the culprit when discomforts arise).

A balanced menstrual cycle is a harmonious flow of energy between yin and yang, at the most fundamental level. Imbalances of this cycle can manifest as symptoms like: fatigue, pain, breast tenderness, excessive or diminished appetite, nausea, bloating, mood swings, irritability , and water retention. For tips on how to naturally alleviate some common PMS complaints, check here. Other gynecological manifestations that can occur include endometriosis, PCOS, amenorrhea, infertility, uterine fibroid, adenomyosis, and irregular menstruation.

Although menstrual discomforts often arise a few days prior to or during a woman’s period, the root imbalance can be occurring anywhere in the cycle. The nature of the complaint and a detailed understanding of a woman’s cycle are the best ways to get a clear idea of the “first domino” causing the problem. Once a woman understands her cycle, she simultaneously understands her fertility and can therefore easily prevent or promote pregnancy. The following is a brief guideline of what is physiologically happening during the various phases of the menstrual cycle, from both western and eastern medicine perspectives.

Four Phases of Menstruation: A General Guideline

1) Menstrual Phase (4-6 Days)

BIO: Sharp fall in Estrogen & Progesterone, Necrosis & Shedding of Endometrial Lining

TCM: Blood is moving = Free Flow of Liver Qi and Liver Blood

RX: Facilitate Flow of Liver Qi and Liver Blood, Unblock the Channels

•Incorporate Mild Exercise, Relaxation, Meditation, Healthy Foods

•Avoid Stress or Frustration, Heavy/Greasy Foods, Alcohol & Overeating

2) Post-Menstrual/Follicular Phase (about 7 days)

BIO: Follicle(s) growing within ovary, under the influence of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

TCM: Blood & Yin in the Chong and Ren Meridians are Relatively Depleted from Blood Loss

RX: Nourish the Yin & Blood

•Rest, Eliminate Stimulants (caffeine,energy drinks)

•Eat Eggs, Fruit, Wheat Germ, Spirulina, Good Quality Meats, Stews

3) Mid Cycle/Ovulation Phase (about 7 days)

BIO: Lutenizing Hormone (LH) surges causing Ovulation and forms the Corpus Luteum

TCM: Yin & Blood/Ren & Chong fill up with vital energy and overflow (yin becomes yang)

RX: Tonify Kidney Essence and Kidney Yang

•Meditate, Yoga, Moderate Exercise, Easily Digestible Foods

•Begin to Avoid Dairy, Heavy Foods, Refined Carbs & Sugar

•Incorporate EFA’s (Essential Fatty Acids: Fish Oil, Eggs, Flaxseeds, Raw Nuts)

4) Pre-Menstrual Phase (About 7 days)

BIO: Progesterone levels increase, sustains Corpus Luteum & Thickens Uterine Lining in preparation for conception or menstruation

TCM: Yang Qi moves and Liver Qi courses in preparation for Menstruation

RX: Tonify the Yang and Course the liver Qi

•Moderate Exercise, Meditation, Yoga

Eat Cruciferous Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts

Avoid Dairy, Caffeine

Alleviate PMS Naturally

Erin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:25:59 +0000

As women we are often taught that the menstrual cycle is just one of those annoying things about being female. It comes at the worst times, can plague a vacation and often is accompanied with a slue of uncomfortable symptoms. Some women experience PMS so bad that it lasts for two weeks before their period begins, leaving only one true week of discomfort-free days. It is no wonder that many women jump at the idea of birth control that reduces the number of times she menstruates per year, or even stops her cycle completely. Although this ‘treatment’ per say takes away many of the uncomfortable symptoms, it can often lead to a whole gamut of other side-effects like low libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain, breast distention, high blood pressure, increased appetite and depression. And to boot, it is not actually treating the cause of the discomfort, it is simply band-aiding it.

From breast pain to nausea to mood swings and back aches, such discomforts are more than just a nuisance, but signals from your body that something is out of balance and needs to be addressed. The only physiological components to a menstrual cycle should be moderate blood flow with the same number of days between cycles. Taking the time to address these symptoms now won’t only improve a woman’s quality of life, but also may prevent future reproductive problems. If you would like to take control of your menstrual cycle, understand it (and your fertility – to either prevent or promote pregnancy), Chinese Medicine has a variety of ways to alleviate common discomforts associated with menstruation.

The main cause of PMS according to Chinese medicine in liver qi stagnation, which is a pattern most commonly caused by stress. Some women are more susceptible to developing this pattern than others, and likewise the severity can also vary greatly. Although the foundation for this pattern is based on a relative excess, or stagnation, in the body, it usually pairs itself with a relative deficiency that needs to be nourished. The delicate balancing act of simultaneously nourishing and draining can be accomplished through the advice and treatment of a licensed practitioner. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary changes can help treat the root of cause of many common complaints associated with PMS.

Key Points to Consider when Trying to Reduce PMS

1) Get plenty of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)

• Fish Oil, Fish, Flaxseeds, Whole Eggs, Raw Nuts, Evening Primrose Oil

• Smooths hormonal function and facilitates ovulation

2) Eat Organic Produce and Hormone Free Meats

• Meat is necessary for a healthy cycle, but the added hormones can interfere with your body’s natural endocrine rhythm.

3) Increase Cruciferous Vegetable Consumption

• Broccoli, Cauliflower, Beets, Carrots, Kale, Cabbage, Collards

• Increases the body’s ability to metabolize Estradial, therefore decreasing breast tenderness, weight gain, moodiness, and low libido

4) Take a High Potency Multi-Vitamin

• Increases bio-available nutrition, strengthening the whole system

5) Dairy

• Avoid completely for scanty, painful or clotted menstruation

• If consuming, only take in moderation and of high quality (hormone free)

6) Avoid Coffee, Alcohol, Nicotine

• Depletes nutrients in the body

• Green tea is OK in moderation while trying to alleviate PMS

7) Acupuncture & Herbs

• Regular acupuncture treatments can effectively regulation a woman’s cycle and reduce uncomfortable symptoms

• Herbal formulas safely and effectively address the root cause of imbalance

**Please note that the above suggestions should be tried over the course of 3-6 months before significant and permanent results can be expected. Likewise these are not meant to diagnose or treat any specific condition(s).