Tag Archives: digestion

Natural Remedy for Cellulite

A few years ago I was on a cruise and treated myself to a “burrito wrap”, body wrap spa treatment. The experience taught me alot. Part of the procedure was having the therapist dry brush my body before applying the clay. She was trying to sell me on a $50 brush to cure my “cellulite”. I didn’t buy it but I did look into what dry brushing was all about (and bought a dry brush at Wal-Mart for $4 when I got home).

I never got completely into the dry brush routine and had all but forgotten about it until several weeks ago. This crazy winter has been giving me dry skin and I thought I’d give the dry brush a go and see if it would help. Its been feeling quite amazing. The dry brushing helps to rev up circulation and feels quite invigorating. Other benefits include opening the pores, glowing skin, tighter skin, reduction in cellulite. Dry brushing can also aid digestion and kidney function. It seems to put me in a better mood too.

Its best to do when your skin is dry. (I usually do before a nice hot shower) You can do twice a day if you like or remember (I’m not usually that good about remembering) 🙂

Make long brush strokes up towards to the heart to promote proper circulation.

If your goal is getting rid of cellulite after dry brushing and shower massage some citrus fresh essential oil blend over the affected area and cover with coconut oil to seal in the blend. Order your citrus fresh here!

Enjoy!

 

Wassail Recipe

Wassail is an old English drink that is popular during the holiday season. Not only does it taste good, it has many health benefits. As you will see there are many reasons to drink Wassail as you celebrate and perhaps over indulge in the holiday season. Many of the spices used aid digestion and help to eliminate flatulence as well as regulating the blood sugar.


Allspice has long been used as a GI stimulant and to aid in the relief of flatulence. Several studies have shown allspice to have antibacterial and antifungal activity which is why it is a common herb to help with colds. The nature of allspice is warming helping to keep the body warm during the winter months.

Cloves have the highest antioxidant rating. The benefits of antioxidants include powerful protection against all types of degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, and many more. Cloves have analgesic properties that can be used for treatment of various dental problems like tooth aches. They also boost memory and blood circulation, and are beneficial for the heart, liver and stomach. Cloves can effectively cure many digestive problems like stomach ulcers, flatulence and dyspepsia, since they stimulate your body’s enzymes and boost digestion. Because of the antiseptic and germicidal benefits of cloves, they help fight infections like cold, flu, bronchitis, arthritic pain and athlete’s foot. For more info on Cloves benefits and uses visit here.

Cinnamon: Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol and may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar. Another study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium. Cinnamon is also a common herb used in Chinese Medicine to help fight off colds and can reduce pain in people suffering from arthritis. For more info on the benefits of cinnamon visit here. 

Here is an easy recipe to make at home.

What you will need:
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lime
2 lemons
2 oranges
1 quart of water
1 gallon apple cider or apple juice (or mix 50/50)
sugar to taste if desired

Directions:
Cut lemon, lime, and oranges in half and juice into a separate container. Leave juice aside for now. Bring water to a boil and add spices and fruit. Bring down to a simmer and add apple cider/juice. Let simmer for 1 hour. Add juice of fruit and sugar if needed. Enjoy hot!

Natural Medicine Cabinet Essential: Moxa

Moxa might not be something you are familiar with but it is a great thing to have in your medicine cabinet in the winter time for its warming and prevention properties. Read on.

What is Moxabustion?

Moxa or Artemisia Vulgaris is a species of chrysanthemum and can be used for a variety of conditions. In Chinese Medicine there are several ways to use moxa and all involve burning this herb over or on acupuncture points. If you are afraid of needles using moxa in place of needles is one way to receive the same benefits as moxa and needles can be used interchangeably or together.
smokeless moxa over UB67 can help with turning a breech baby

smokeless moxa over UB67 can help with turning a breech baby

One major benefit of Moxa is that it benefits circulation. It can be used to regulate the energy and blood of the body, expel cold and dampness especially if pain is worse in these kind of environments, warm the uterus, stop bleeding, regulate digestion as well as menstruation, and ease the fetus or turn a breech baby. This is a great post that talks about using moxa specifically for menstrual irregularities and insomnia.

Moxa can be used preventively as well. Burning moxa over the acu-point Zu San Li St36 on a regular basis is a great way to stay healthy. In Notes on Bian Que’s Moxibustion, it says, “when a healthy man often has moxabustion to the points of CV4, CV6 and CV12 he would live a very long life, at least one hundred years.”

Currently in Africa moxabustion is being used as a treatment for tuberculosis through the organization Moxafrica. There is research evidence from Japan in the 1930s and 40s where moxabustion was used effectively and cheaply to treat and in many cases cure TB.

Moxa is available for purchase at Neighborhood Acupuncture Place and is also available as a treatment. It is also a great therapy to use for post partum recovery.

Recipe for Gentle Detox for After Thanksgiving

I posted a picture of this detox on the facebook page over the weekend. I’m going to start this blog with a disclaimer. In Chinese Medicine we almost never recommend a “detox” because it is too harsh on your body and can actually knock your body out of balance in the opposite direction. If your thanksgiving meal was mostly white this is a great way to gently nourish your digestion and clean your system out. I like starting this on Monday because most likely after thanksgiving you have slowly started to go back to eating your normal diet so its not quite as much of a shock to the system.

What you need:

2 lemons

1/2 cucumber

10 mint leaves or 1 drop of peppermint essential oil (preferable young living) I used essential oil because that’s what I had on hand

3 quarts of water

Directions:

Slice lemons and cucumber and drop into water. Add mint, You can gentle muddle the mint leaves to release the essential oils. Let sit so ingredients can infuse the water overnight. Drink first thing upon waking and before breakfast. This helps to bring your body into an alkaline state and revs up digestion. In Chinese Medicine cold and raw foods are almost never recommended except for maybe in the summer time. Drink this room temperature or add a little hot water to your infused water so that it is warm, this also helps with digestion. Peppermint is considered a cooling herb so if you tend to run cold you might considered leaving the peppermint out or switching with some fresh grated ginger, which is a warming herb. WARNING: you might experience an extra trip to the bathroom 🙂 You might also find that you crave drinking more water this way.

This is a great routine to get in the habit of in general, don’t just wait to do when you overindulge.

Let me know what you think! My husband and I loved it. I’m feeling a little more energized this morning 🙂

*** If you are a nursing mama you might choose to omit the peppermint as it has been known to decrease milk supply.

Mindful Eating for Thanksgiving

The spleen/stomach system according to Chinese Medical theory is responsible for the transportation and transformation of food. This system is what gives us usable energy. The quality of our health is determined by the essence we received from our parents (DNA) as well as our lifestyle habits. If you were born with good essence that’s great! The best way to keep it that way is to make sure you are living a healthy lifestyle or it will catch up with you.

The spleen/stomach relate to:

  • emotion: worry/over thinking
  • taste: sweet
  • pathogen: dampness
  • color: yellow
  • season: late summer and transitional phases
  • When our stressors cause us to over think or worry it can damage the spleen. You might know a few people who are worriers and have weak stomachs, this is because the spleen/stomach system governs both activities. If you are a multitasker this can also cause disharmony in your spleen/stomach making you feel anxious. The spleen/stomach system also keeps the blood contained. As a women, if you are living a stress filled life with no outlet you might experience spotting between periods, and other disharmonies with your menstrual cycle.

The spleen is a dry organ that hates dampness. What does that mean? Damp causing foods are sweet, especially empty sweet foods like processed cookies and candy. Dampness causes the body to feel heavy and weighed down metaphorically or literally with extra pounds. In order to keep your digestive system strong its important to eat warm foods.

Raw vegetables are considered cooling and are hard for your system to process. Always cook your veggies. Processed, deep fried, fast foods cause dampness in the body and damage your spleen/stomach. What you might not know is that it is important to focus just on your food while you eat. If you watch tv, drive, sit at the computer etc while you eat you are dividing the attention of the spleen with thinking and eating which ultimately imbalances your spleen.

The Dali Lama once said, “if the problem has a solution then there is no need to worry and if the problem doesn’t have a solution worry will do know good.” Easier said then done, but do your spleen a favor and let it go. 🙂
How can you avoid stressing out your spleen?

  1. Avoid refined sugars as much as possible
  2. Eat yellow foods with full sweet flavors such as squash, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, or baby corn.
  3. Take life one moment at a time. Instead of multitasking, try to tackle one thing and complete it before moving on.
  4. Avoid living spaces and work environments that are below ground like garden apartments and basements. Keep yourself warm and covered when it rains or snows (dampness).
  5. Eat mindfully. Whenever possible eat with friends or family and enjoy their company and the food that you are eating. Notice the flavor of your food and chew! You might notice that you don’t need to eat as much as you used to.
  6. Unplug. Turn your cell phone and computer off when your work day is done. Even if all you do is turn your car off and sit for a moment of silence before going inside your home. Take some “me” time.

Perpetual Chicken Stock

Its Thanksgiving week already can you believe it? This week’s recipe is for stock. I know I have mentioned it a lot recently and I just did this last week so I thought I would share. Last week a friend and I made chicken pot pie with chicken legs. We saved the bones and made perpetual chicken stock. I don’t know about you but it is so very satisfying to make a meal and not waste a thing! From a Chinese Medicine perspective bone broth is super nourishing for the Kidney/Urinary Bladder system of winter and its great for your digestion and absorption of everything else you eat. Here is an article from Weston Price touting all the delicious benefits of homemade chicken stock.  

 

What do you need:

crock pot

chicken bones (or other soup bones, make sure they are organic or straight from the farm)

mason jars

2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

whatever other veggies you want for your stock I used the scrapes from our chicken pot pie (carrots, celery, brussel sprouts, onion, peppercorns, garlic etc) and some beet greens that were still in the garden.

water

Directions:

Put your chicken bones and veggies in your crock pot and pot with cold water and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (the ACV helps to draw the marrow and gelatin out of the bones where all the good stuff is). Cover and turn on high. After first round take out at least 2 cups of broth (I filled a mason jar) then replenish the same amount of broth you took with fresh water. Strain out veggies and just let bones remain. Cook on low for next batch. Again when it is finished take out at least 2 cups or another mason jar and replenish with equal amount of cold water. Cook on low again. You can continue this for up to 7 days. Now you have chicken stock for all your recipes. You can even freeze the stock in the mason jars! Just make sure to first cool the stock in the refrigerator before putting in the freezer and leave room at the top for the liquid to expand. If I can steal the turkey bones from thanksgiving dinner I will be doing this again. 🙂