A Guide to Seed Cycling for Hormonal Balance
A Guide to Seed Cycling for Hormonal Balance In our fast-paced world, achieving and maintaining hormonal balance can feel like a constant battle. From mood swings to irregular periods and even fertility challenges, hormonal imbalances can affect nearly every aspect of a woman’s life. But what if the solution to balancing your hormones could be as simple as incorporating certain seeds into your diet? Welcome to the world of seed cycling for hormonal balance, a natural and balanced approach that has been gaining popularity for its DIY ease and overall effectiveness. Seed cycling involves consuming specific seeds during different phases of your menstrual cycle to support the body’s natural hormonal rhythms. The concept is rooted in the idea that certain seeds contain nutrients that can help promote the production and detoxification of hormones, thus aiding in the overall balance. By understanding how to use seed cycling for hormones, you can take a proactive step toward improving your hormonal health naturally. So, how does seed cycling work? The menstrual cycle is typically divided into two main phases: the follicular phase (the first half) and the luteal phase (the second half). During the follicular phase, which begins on the first day of your period and lasts until ovulation, the body benefits from seeds like flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds. Flaxseeds are rich in lignans, which help bind excess estrogen, while pumpkin seeds provide zinc, which supports progesterone production. By consuming these seeds daily, you can help ensure a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone, setting the stage for a smoother cycle. As you transition into the luteal phase, which begins after ovulation and continues until your next period, it’s time to switch to sesame and sunflower seeds. Sesame seeds are also high in lignans, which can help modulate estrogen levels, while sunflower seeds are packed with selenium, a powerful antioxidant that supports liver detoxification and hormone clearance. This phase of seed cycling for hormonal balance helps maintain the balance of progesterone and estrogen, reducing symptoms of PMS and promoting overall well-being. The benefits of seed cycling for women go beyond just regulating menstrual cycles. Many women have reported improved skin health, reduced acne, better mood stability, and even enhanced fertility. Because hormones inCluence so many aspects of our health, Cinding a natural way to support them can have widespread positive effects. Additionally, the seeds used in seed cycling are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, all of which contribute to overall health and vitality. For those new to the concept, starting with a seed cycling guide for hormonal health can be incredibly helpful. Begin by purchasing high-quality, organic flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. It’s best to use freshly ground seeds to ensure you’re getting the maximum nutritional benefits. You can easily incorporate these seeds into your diet by adding them to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, or salads. The key is consistency— consume the recommended seeds daily according to the phase of your cycle. Seed cycling can be a wonderful way to support hormonal health at home in conjunction with Chinese medicine. The practitioners here at Tao to Wellness can help you fine-tune your seed cycling routine, offer acupuncture and herbal remedies tailored to your needs, and provide the support you need to gently bring the body back into balance.
Debunking the NYT Article; “Is Delaying Menopause the Key to Longevity”?
Debunking the NYT Article; “Is Delaying Menopause the Key to Longevity”? It’s an eye catching title and a semi interesting read that discusses how scientists are trying to figure out how to keep the ovaries working longer, and if they can, are we able to prevent the progression of age related diseases? In March, Jill Biden announced a new women’s initiative that is highlighting this question among scientists and researchers. “The ovaries are the only organ in humans that we just accept will fail one day,” said Renee Wegrzyn, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, a government agency tasked with steering Dr. Biden’s mission. “It’s actually kind of wild that we all just accept that.” Most think of the ovaries as just a “baby maker”, but as the article states the ovaries act as a control center and have a lot to do with influencing every organ in a woman’s body. It says that scientists don’t exactly understand how this happens but I believe it’s simply a part of the HPO Axis; the hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian axis. This axis is a highway of constant communication between the ovaries and the brain and vice versa through a feedback loop. There are many ‘loops’ in the body, for example right now a very hot topic is the gut brain connection. On an elementary level, the article says when women’s eggs are depleted the ovaries seem to go quiet, which corresponds to of course an increased risk in age related diseases. The phrase ‘women’s eggs are depleted’, couldn’t be more inaccurate. Doctors say most of us are born with millions of eggs (40,000 – 3 million to be exact), even that is an inaccurate way of describing the beauty that unfolds in a woman’s ovaries. What women are actually born with are millions of opportunities! By way of folliculogenesis, these opportunities rise to the surface and become expressed! Folliculogenesis is a maturing ovarian follicle that will in most cases rear a good quality egg. At any given time, women have many, many follicles that are in varying stages; from primordial, primary, secondary, tertiary to antral follicles. Not all of these are follicles yet, most are flat cells waiting to grow up to be a follicle, for example it takes about 180 days for the primordial stage to reach it’s full potential as a follicle with a good quality egg. So, the idea proposed is that if a woman loses fewer eggs, she can hold on to her ovarian reserves and functionality for longer is slightly preposterous. The article mentions a clinical trial at Columbia University which is attempting to slow the rate at which women lose their eggs with the immunosuppressive drug called rapamycin. Researchers leading the study claim there are two patterns that are already emerging; one that women are appearing to have a normal decline of ovarian reserve, which is measured by ultrasounds and AMH. Ultrasounds cannot detect ovarian reserve only antral follicle counts, which are the follicles that are in the race for ovulation, they are expressed when they are about the ovulate, ultrasounds cannot detect anything else. Most gynecologists and reproductive endocrinologists, do not test AMH because of its unreliability. But in truth, nothing is reliable and there is no possible way to calculate ovarian reserve. It seems to me, that if we look at this through a Chinese medicine lens, the ovaries are the tree trunk, the follicles and eggs are the branches/leaves, so then what feeds the ovaries to be robust and plentiful? The soil! And that soil is lifestyle and genetics. We can’t alter our genes (yet!) but if we want better functionality and longer sustainability we must look to lifestyle and environmental factors, things like pollution, toxins, nutrition, or lack thereof, too much or too little exercise, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, (basically anything that creates free radicals in the body) not enough sleep and the biggest ones; emotional wellness and the management of stress. These are the things that overtime can exhaust ovarian function and cause aging and disease, whether you are approaching menopause or trying to get pregnant at 30 years old, it all looks the same. In the realm of enhancing lifespan and quality of life, we could also talk about telomeres. Telomeres are caps on the ends of our DNA, they are similar to the caps that are on the end of shoelaces. As the plastic ends shred, and the shoelace becomes frayed and damaged, so too the shortening of our telomeres can leave our cells and chromosomes vulnerable to damage. Telomere shortening means the cell’s lifespan is shortening. Recent research shows that telomere shortening plays an important role in human disease and mortality. So how do we support robust ovarian function and lengthen telomeres? Sleep, regular exercise, stress management, a diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, namely D, meditation, yoga and acupuncture. (You knew the last one was coming!) There have been endless acupuncture studies and trials over the last two decades, everything from pain management to pregnancy rates to digestive disorders to stroke recovery. Research also shows that acupuncture can actually lengthen your telomeres and, for the purposes of this article, acupuncture plays a major role in Stage 4 follicular recruitment. How does it do that? The magnificence of acupuncture is the fact that it is self regulating, so whatever the body needs, whether it’s a decrease in inflammation, moving emotional stagnation thereby relieving stress, harmonizing an organ system, bringing energy to an organ, clearing away meridian debris, acupuncture and the body work together. You don’t have to believe in it or do anything to facilitate it, it just happens, very much in the same way your heart beats or how minerals like sodium and potassium can enter and exit a cell effortlessly. It just happens. In conclusion, we all want to preserve what we have and no one wants to age. Post menopause brings some risk to diseases, but if it’s not ‘that’ disease then it will
How to Be in Harmony with Summer!
How to Be in Harmony with Summer! As of June 21st it is officially summer 2024 and the season of ABUNDANCE! Summer is the fullest expression of Yang, it’s hot, dry, daylight, it’s active and fiery. Yin is the opposite and is cool, fluid, nighttime, meditative. In these hot summer months, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep the two balanced. In Chinese medicine, each season has a set of paired organs that are associated with it, but for the season of summer, there are actually four! Heart The Heart governs the blood and is responsible for the Shen or Spirit. Pericardium The Pericardium is called the ‘heart wrapper’ and protects the heart from external influences like a temperature change or a pathogenic invasion. Small Intestine The Small Intestine receives food and fluids from the stomach and then separates it into pure and turbid, this also applies to emotions in the sense of making the distinctions between positive and negative thinking. San Jiao The San Jiao is a Chinese organ and is translated as the Triple Burner or Triple Heater. It’s closely associated with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chakras or energy centers of the body. The San Jiao is a bit of a mysterious organ with it’s main job being a conductor for spreading energy throughout the body. All of these belong to the Fire element, the emotions are Joy or Agitation, the taste is bitter and color, of course, is red. How to Attune to the Season So, now that we are in summer, how do we attune or make friends with the season? Here’s some tips: To be in circadian harmony: Awaken very early in the morning preferably at sunrise. Hey, 5am clubbers! To find comfort: Drink hot liquids and take warm showers, which will open the pores and bring on sweating! Quite the opposite of what we usually think for summer- cold drinks, ice and what not actually blocks the heat from releasing. Not too cold: Try not to overdo raw, cold foods. Combining too much cold food (Ice, ice cream, raw fruits and vegetables) with summer heat can weaken the digestive organs since cold contracts. Practice moderation! To find balance: Depending on how hot it is in your area, you may want to consider adding a mineral supplement to your regimen in the hot summer months. Since we have a tendency to sweat more, we could be losing minerals which can weaken the system. Cooking Tips! The main rule of thumb is to cook things on high temp and for a very short period of time. It’s a great way to warm the food up a bit while also maintaining all of the nutrients. Some cooling fresh foods to incorporate into your diet are salads, sprouts like mung, soy, or alfalfa, fruit, cucumber, tofu, watermelon, lemon, and limes. Also mint, chamomile or chrysanthemum teas are great for the summer heat! One more note, don’t feel like you need to shy away from spice, because they are actually considered helpful in warm weather. Spices will help bring body heat to the surface, open the pores thus allowing the extra heat to be released! This will help you attune to the heat and will help you to feel less affected by it. This Year’s Summer Recipe Pick! We all love watermelon, it’s sweet and cooling and actually can be fabulous as a salad! Of course, if you’re watching your sugar intake, be sure to portion this out accordingly because it can be quite addictive! This is a take on a salad that I had once at Flora in downtown Oakland (RIP Flora) that left such an impression on me. I never forgot it and every time I serve it, people just go bananas for it. It’s a no recipe – recipe, so amounts are really how you like them. Watermelon Feta Salad INGREDIENTS Watermelon Kalamata Olives, chopped. Feta Cheese or if you’re dairy free, vegan feta works just as well Figs, chopped Pine Nuts or any small, soft nut you prefer, like crushed pistachios Mint, chopped, small amount to just give the salad some lift! A simple dressing of Champagne Vinegar and Olive Oil (Good quality) Approximately 3 tablespoon olive oil to 1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar. DIRECTIONS In a large bowl add watermelon, chopped olives, chopped figs, pine nuts and chopped mint. Mix well. In a smaller bowl, mix the olive oil and champagne vinegar. Pour it over your salad and then add the feta over the top. Delicious and refreshing with bursts of flavors! Enjoy the summer and we hope to see you soon!
The Art of Mindful Eating
The Art of Mindful Eating I want to start with this excerpt from Andrea Lieberstein. “Mindful eating enables us to experience greater pleasure and nourishment from our food. Through mindful awareness we become more attuned to our body’s signals of pleasure, hunger, and fullness. We notice the food thoughts and beliefs that don’t serve us and encourage those that do. We notice what is beneficial, nurturing these with our attention. We make choices that support our health and well-being and those of the planet. We practice kindness toward ourselves and our cravings and forgive ourselves for the difficult moments. When we slow down, chew mindfully, and savor our food, we reduce stress, experience flavors fully, and improve digestion. When we focus on enjoying our food, worries fall away because we are no longer thinking about them. We tune in to and listen to signals from our body when we have had enough, thus helping us eat to a comfortable level rather than overeating.” If you’re anything like me, sometimes my excitement gets the best of me and I can’t wait to dive into my meal, whether I’ve spent a long amount of time cooking or I’m out and eager to indulge. I love food and I love eating it! But that speed and excitement often leaves me unsatisfied. Have you ever eaten a meal that you don’t remember? Likely you were watching TV, driving, on the computer, working, etc. hence completely missing the experience and the pleasure of eating! My first experience with Mindful Eating was probably almost two decades ago during a residential retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, it was my first silent retreat and I adored every minute… well, after the first two days that is. It took a second, but once my mind was able to relax and take in a different rhythm, I was quite content. And then… it was lunch and I could sense my dopamine already getting stirred up! What was for lunch? Was it going to be good? Will they have bread? Or rice? Or will it only be soup? Regardless, once we entered and sat for our silent meal, I learned about mindful eating and it was orgasmic. Just me and my meal, pure enjoyment, no accompanied thoughts; planning, worrying, stressing, thinking. Just simplicity, just me and my meal. Ahhhh. Here are a 3 tips if you’d like to experiment with this powerful practice. Check in Place your plate in front of you, put your hands in your lap, close your eyes and take 2-3 deep breaths. Notice any feelings you might be having- rushed, starved, tired, maybe some anxiety? What is your hunger level, ask yourself, how hungry am I? We tend to enjoy our food the most when we are hungry. Too hungry and we eat too fast. Not hungry at all, for example, maybe you’re just eating because it’s ‘dinner time’? Then eating would not be a very kind thing to do for your body. Can you wait until your body is ready? Gaze and take a moment Notice the colors, smells, placement, look at the beauty of your meal. Take a moment to contemplate what it took to get this meal on your plate. This is a Buddhist concept called ‘dependent arising’ which is defined as specific conditions whose presence is indispensable for something to come into existence. So consider, the farms who grew your food, the farmers who picked it, the driver of the truck that transported it, the store that carried it so you could purchase it and so and so on. This is a practice not for just eating, in the bigger picture it serves as a way to bring us closer together and helps us relate to everyone instead creating a barrier of separatism. Taste mindfully Take your first bite, close your eyes and really sense with your taste buds. Put words to what you taste; salty, sweet, sour, nutty, garlicky. Give words to the texture, crunchy, creamy, prickly. Be conscious of the temperature; too hot, warm, cooling. And notice after you swallow, tracking it as it makes its journey; the warmth or cold you might feel in your tummy. Notice how your mouth knows exactly what to do, your jaw knows exactly how hard to bite, your tongue moves things around in such an all knowing way. And finally, pay attention to the moment the enjoyment fades, this is the most fascinating thing, there’s a moment where it’s still good, but not as good as those first few bites. The joy has diminshed. For me, this is where I go into, “Ok, time to finish this up and move on to the next thing.” If you find yourself there, then it’s suggested to tune in to whether you are full and perhaps you’ve had enough. Three points of practice. I’d recommend doing this at least once a day, consider practicing alone at first, you can do an entire meal or just the first few bites if you prefer. And if you’d like to listen to me walk you through it, go to your Insight Timer App and there under my tracks, you will find “Mindful Eating”. I want to leave you with one more thing to consider. Many people use food to nourish or soothe themselves when they are actually craving something else. Which leads me to another excerpt from Andrea Lieberstein… What if we were living a life where we felt well-nourished emotionally, intellectually, physically, psychologically, spiritually, socially, and creatively? What if we were mindfully present to receive, experience, plan for, and engage in nourishing activities, moments, and practices regularly that fed us on many levels. What if we were able to maintain an inner sense of balance and nourishment even when things are not perfectly in balance, and have the tools and practices to do so rather than turn to food at those times? Thank you, Andrea! Now that is something to ponder.
The Importance of Rest During the Yin Time of Year
The Importance of Rest During the Yin Time of Year As we head into the holiday season, it can become easy to get caught up in everything we need to do and become overwhelmed or stressed. But as the days become shorter and the northern hemisphere experiences more stillness, it’s important to take time to slow down and rest. By now most folks have heard the term “flight or fight” which corresponds to the sympathetic nervous system’s response to stress. In this state we feel more alert and ready to take on the world. Experiencing moments of stress are normal and can even be healthy, but problems arise when we stay in this state over long periods of time leading to, among other things, anxiety, tension- especially in our neck and shoulders, and a rapid heartbeat that continues even when we’re not in a stressful situation. When we are constantly in this high gear it can also begin to impact our sleep and digestion- leading to trouble sleeping and digestion irregularities like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and even nausea. It’s important we balance this high gear with its healing counterpart- the parasympathetic system. This “rest and digest” state is when we feel most relaxed and our body is able to use its resources to properly digest what we’re taking in and recover from life’s stresses. When we’re able to settle into this state we’re also able to sleep well- falling easily and staying asleep through the night. During deep sleep is also when our body does all of its repair work. In Taoist cosmology, which Chinese medicine has its roots in, we use the concept of Yin and Yang to describe both the world around us and our physiology, as a reflection of this world. The theory of Yin and Yang simplifies as the binary relationships we can observe. We ascribe Yin to stillness and Yang to activity; Yin is cool and moist while Yang is warm and dry. Nighttime and Winter are both Yin, while Daytime and Summer are Yang. Throughout the day or year there are varying amounts of Yin and Yang in our environment. During the peak of Summer Yang is at its strongest and Yin is weak, while in the Winter the opposite is true with Yin growing in strength and Yang becoming weak. In this same way, we can say that the autonomic nervous system also carries this Yin and Yang aspects, with Yin being the parasympathetic nervous system and Yang being the sympathetic nervous system. Another principle of Chinese medicine is that when we follow the flow of this Yin and Yang around us, we can cultivate good health. Most of us do this inherently to some degree, the best example being that we sleep at night and we’re awake during the day. The same rhythm can be applied throughout the seasons, and as the days become shorter we see the energy of the world around us retreat internally. Many plants go dormant and animals become less active and sleep more. Even our domestic furry friends, cats and dogs, nap more in the Wintertime. And it’s completely normal and healthy that we may find ourselves sleeping and resting more than the rest of the year. With most folks averaging eight hours of sleep per night, it’s not uncommon for folks to vary that throughout the year- maybe you feel good on seven hours of sleep in the Summer but in the Winter there’s nights that you sleep nine hours. Naps can be the same. Maybe a 10-20 min cat nap in the height of Summer refreshes you, while you find yourself leaning into a 30-50 min nap in the Winter. There’s no one size fits all when it comes to sleep and rest, but often the amount of sleep we need varies throughout the year and this is healthy and normal. During this time of shorter days, it’s helpful to shift into this “rest and digest”, parasympathetic mode for periods of time during the daytime as well. While most of us still have a lot to get done, we can take breaks throughout the day instead of pushing through like we may do during the Summer months. We can sit with a cup of tea between errands and chores. We can kick up our feet and read a book we find pleasurable. We can stare out the window and checkout birds soaring overhead or the trees doing their thing. Anything that helps slow us down to help us relax. It’s not uncommon when our stress has been high for a long period of time we find that even when we stop moving we’re still filled with anxiety, stress, tension, a busy mind, rapid breathing, etc. We may need to make a concerted effort to switch gears. Before getting into some tips on how to relax, it’s good to take a look at a few basics to create a steady baseline: Make sure you’re eating well. While it’s OK to indulge sometimes, it’s best to always make sure you’re getting your basic dietary needs met. By eating enough protein, healthy fats, and fiber throughout your day you stabilize your blood sugar which helps stabilize your mood. Designate your sleep hours and stick with them. Most of us have set work hours that we are dedicated to, the same approach can be used with our sleep. While there are things that impact our sleep that can be out of our control, like a sick kid or our pets stirring at night, we should limit anything else that takes away from our sleep that we have control over. Oftentimes it feels like our nighttime self and morning self have different priorities (especially if we’re night owls), but we should always consider the toll that staying up late takes on our wellbeing the next day. If we’re doing everything we can to relax, “rest and digest”, but we still find we need help, it’s time to incorporate healing
Using Acupuncture to Treat Migraines
Using Acupuncture to Treat Migraines What is the Main Reason for Migraines? Research studies show that acupuncture is wildly successful in the treatment of migraines. A recent systematic review of 22 clinical studies with 4985 participants showed that acupuncture reduced migraines by 50% in 69% of the individuals and that effect lasted more than 6 months. That is incredibly encouraging since Western medicine unfortunately has very few tools to treat the common migraine. In Western medicine thinking, migraines are triggered from a number of factors, stress being one of them. The triggers tend to be more difficult to manage for people with irregular serotonin levels. The trigger causes a wave of electrical activity through the brain, the serotonin level surges as well in a similar wave fashion, the result is a decrease in serotonin that causes blood vessels to be irritated resulting pain. From a Chinese medicine lens, the patient feels stress in the body, the energy of the body gets disrupted and creates an imbalance in the flow, that energy then run through the meridians in a reckless way causing pressure which obviously results in pain. The organ systems involved with migraines is usually the Liver and Gall Bladder, there are other scenarios but this is the most common. The Liver is the organ that deals with metabolizing stress so to speak, when there is overwhelm, the Liver gets sort of backed up and it’s overflow the Gall Bladder takes over. The Gall Bladder meridian is where most migraines take place, on one side of the head, around the temple and ear. What is the Best Natural Treatment for Migraines? Avoiding Certain Foods Migraines have so many triggers, alcohol being a big one, in addition to that things like nitrates in food, cheese (because of tyramine), processed foods, cold foods and MSG. Did you know that citric acid can also be an issue because of when it is processed the remaining protein results in processed free glutamic acid, which is MSG. So read your labels, it almost seems like citric acid is in everything these days. Grab Some Feverfew Although we don’t specialize in American herbalism here at Tao to Wellness, there are a few key American herbs like Feverfew that we recommend. Feverfew looks a little like a daisy and is a folk remedy for treatment migraines. The Magic of Magnesium Magnesium is exactly that, magic! It’s a necessary factor in around 300 different systems in the body and so many of us are deficient. We love magnesium for deeper sleep, leg cramps, constipation and of course migraines, menstrual migraines really responds to magnesium and it can also help with menstrual cramps as well. Meditation is the Way Meditation is a remedy for just about any illness, discomfort or disease. Relaxing the mind, enhancing the amygdala, relaxing the muscles from head to toe. Meditation is no longer for soul seekers or Buddhists it’s really for everyone. Acupuncture in the Treatment of Migraines Our favorite way to treat migraines when they are full force or better yet, our favorite way to prevent them is with acupuncture and here’s why. Western medicine treatments offered are only a temporary band aid to mask the pain, OTC NSAIDs initially and when that doesn’t work prescription pills, beta blockers and sometimes antidepressants. The world of Chinese medicine has much more to offer, acupuncture being the number one modality but number two being Chinese herbal medicine. Another thing to remember is that we are not only treating the problem, we are treating the entire body, rebalancing it and preventing future migraines. This is really key, because when a patients stops taking the Western medications listed above, the symptoms will return, nothing has necessarily been healed. With Chinese medicine, we are healing the body. A great metaphor is when a tree has a sick or diseased branch you can prune it back, but you also need to treat the roots of that tree so that the tree will grow beautifully. We think of the body like that, the migraine representing the branch and the roots representing the whole body. One needs to treat both the root and branch.
Happy Chinese New Year, welcome the Year of the Ox!
Happy Chinese New Year, welcome the Year of the Ox! This is the Year of the Metal Ox! Say goodbye to the Year of the Rat! Oxen are symbols of persistence and honesty. In Chinese culture, the Ox is a faithful friend that makes great contributions! People born in the Year of the Ox are industrious, cautious, hold their faith firmly, and always glad to offer help. To prove that point, the old Chinese myth goes like this- the Jade Emperor was declaring the order of the signs based on the order of arrival of the 12 animals. The Rat somehow talked the Ox into giving him a ride, he obliged and then right at the last minute, the Rat jumped off and ran into the palace declaring himself number one! I guess that alone tells us a lot about the energy of the the last year as opposed to this year. Some say it’s going to be an easier year, others say the opposite. No matter what, we always want to bring in the New Year with a clean slate! Personally, I’ve been cleaning for days, tying up loose ends and getting things in order! If that doesn’t appeal to you or you just don’t have time, then just have fun from today (Thursday) and throughout the weekend with family and friends, whatever that looks like for you. Whether you are on Zoom, over the phone or in person, all those avenues can still put a smile on your face and a laugh in your belly. Now onto how to prep! By New Year’s Eve (tonight), you should have done the following: Clean the entire home to get rid of all the things that are associated with the old year. Put away all brooms and brushes. Pay debts. Resolve differences with family members, friends, neighbors and business associates. Buy oranges (good health and long life), tangerines (long relationships, fruitful and multiply for having children or persimmons (happiness and wealth). Fresh flowers, if a flower blooms on New Year’s Day this is a sign of prosperity all year. Get together with close family members for the “reunion” dinner. Open every door and window in your home at midnight of New Year’s Eve to let go of the old year. On New Year’s Day… Do not lend any money, otherwise you’ll be lending all year. Do not use foul language or unlucky words, like the word ‘four” which is the word for death, don’t talk about death or ghosts on this day. Do not reference the past year or things in the past, only speak of the coming year. Wear new clothes or shoes, especially bright red. Eat candy in the morning for luck and also fish and chicken during the day. Don’t wash your hair. Do not cry on New Year’s Day or you will cry throughout the whole year. Don’t sweep the floor. Don’t greet people who are in mourning. Don’t drop your chopsticks. Do not use knives or scissors. The first person you meet or first words heard are indicative of the setting of the whole year. Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy! Be well, stay safe and find your happy! In gratitude, Christina
The Joy and Necessity of Travel
The Joy and Necessity of Travel Travel is healing, travel is about exploring new places but also ourselves, travel is the best way to shake things up when things are stale or stressed. I recently just got back from Italy, namely Rome, Tuscany and Positano. My first time to Italy and my first BIG trip in about a year and half! Italy is well, Italy! Warm, friendly, a food lover’s paradise, a wine lover’s dream and a cultural mecca to say the least. Here are four amazing reasons to travel that you might not have considered before… Expands our awareness and minds… This goes without saying I think… but people live very differently then we do here in the States. I have such a curiosity around that and love seeing how things are done elsewhere. While visiting Tuscany we were so lucky to book an excursion with a large family just outside of Florence. In their villa and 20 acres, they make olive oil, red wine and hunt for truffles. The grandfather and grandson took us hunting for truffles up the hill with their dog Fifi (the grandfather has been a licensed truffle hunter for 50 years), while the matriarchs (mother and grandmother) of the family prepared our lunch which was beyond delicious! The father gave us a tour of their very tiny wine and olive oil operation- tiny in the way of the mass production giants you find in Napa. It was lovely and they were lovely, it was interesting to witness how they interacted with each other and you can feel the history of land under your feet. Invites us to get lost for a second and face the unknown… I arrived in Rome alone and would be for three days. I have traveled alone before, but it’s been a very long time. I have to admit, I was nervous. I don’t speak but two or three words of Italian and had no real set plans but to wander. I realize that energy could also be called Excitement, it’s the same frequency! I took on my three days as an adventure and had an amazing time—clocking in Rome with about 60,000 steps or 30 miles. I witnessed, I people watched a ton, I learned, I conquered and by the time the rest of the crew arrived, I knew my way around town pretty good! Gives us time to heal, de-stress and regain enthusiasm for life… One of the people in my travel crew is having a huge breakthrough in his life because of this trip… he’s noticing things that don’t make sense about his life and since he’s been home is ready for big and exciting change! Travel takes you outside of yourself, outside of your life for just a blip of time so you can see clearly again. And inside of that, new ideas and new awareness occur. It helps our Flow in life… We tend to do the same things every day, we drive the same route to work, we grab our morning coffee at the same place, we even wear our watch on the same wrist or put our shoes on in the same order. For the most part, we are so routine. Travel puts a big stop sign on most of those things. Travel shakes things up. Travel interrupts the brain, stokes curiosity and awakens our inner child. Travel helps the flow in our body and in our life and can also break habits that don’t serve us any longer. Travel is a necessity and even if you don’t have the money or time to travel internationally, jump in the car and take a road trip or explore a different neighborhood you’ve never been to, get out of the normal, routine of life just for a second and give yourself a priceless gift that keeps giving.
The NYT says, “Sleep is the new status symbol.”
The NYT says, “Sleep is the new status symbol.” “Sleep today is a measure of success, a skill to be cultivated and nourished.” -says Tim Robinson in a new article in The New York Times. This is New York City, no more late nights? No more drinking until 5am? No more late night greasy burgers after a show? No, sleep is where it’s at, it’s the new status symbol and I LOVE IT! I’ve always been serious about my sleep– in Chinese medicine it is believed that sleep is the one of the main ways to regenerate the Qi of the body and 8 hours the correct amount. Think of it like your daily checking account, let’s say you start out with a 100 units, you spend 30 exercising, 50 at work, 20 at play, you’ll need to regenerate and put more units in for tomorrow– that’s where sleep comes in. ESPECIALLY like some of us who spend 30 exercising, 80 at work, 80 at play, you know who you are! Without sleep over a number of days you face potential damage to your adrenals, to brain chemistry, joint health, hormone regulation, aging inside and out, etc. Keep in mind, we aren’t just referring to those insomniacs who don’t sleep at all, damage also occurs for people that sleep only 4-6 hours a night, there is a deficit overtime which is a huge contributor to all the ailments above. A few things that can assist your sleep: A great mattress and the right pillows! I’ve been coined the pillow queen and I don’t mind it one bit. Positioning– back and side sleepers require different pillows heights, so be sure you have the right pillow! I’ve told my patients over the years, if you are a side sleeper, be sure your nose and the top of your shoulder is in a 90 degree angle. Stomach sleeping is pretty much a no-no, since it wreaks havoc on the neck… No screens, I know so many people that fall asleep with the TV on, first of all, you shouldn’t have a TV in your bedroom at all, but if you do the blue light spectrum can cause sleep disturbances or an inability to go deep. Cell phones on airplane mode! When you keep your cell phone on and since most of us use it as an alarm clock, we tend to have it close… consider that that phone is looking for a tower to connect to all night long (insert Lionel Ritchie hit, “All Night Long”). So please airplane mode it, we still don’t know the long term harm that cell phones can do. If you absolutely must have it on for emergencies, keep it 10 feet away from you. Having some real issues? Maybe a little melatonin can help? Melatonin is something your body already makes, so you are not adding a foreign substance to your flesh and bones. You can try 3mg or go up to as high as 10mg with time release. A simple upgrade to your ritual! Dark and quiet– get some black out shades or a cute little snooze kit, complete with blind fold and ear plugs. Take a hot bath before bed to relax your muscles and mind. Magnesium– especially if you have some restless legs! Magnesium is a necessary mineral for 300 systems in the body. Take some before bed, it can help you relax deeper during sleep, helps tight muscles and also constipation, just don’t take too much or your stools may be a little loose in the morning. If all else fails, acupuncture and a custom herbal formula (custom, made by an herbalist, not off the shelf) is guaranteed for improving the quality of your sleep. Let us know if we can help! Here’s the article from the New York Times including a few sleep programs and new Apps, even one called “Dreaming with Jeff”, yes, it’s Jeff Bridges! Here’s to California Dreaming… Christina Martin
