A Secret Trick to Prevent a Cold

by Setareh Moafi, PhD, L.Ac.

Growing up I could hardly get to the front door to go outside without hearing my mother, my grandmother or one of my aunts yell at me to put on a jacket.

You might relate — the tradition of wearing a jacket, coat or scarf to protect you from catching a cold when you go outside crosses over many cultures.

The idea isn’t just to avoid getting cold, but more importantly we’re told that keeping your body warm will help prevent catching a cold.

Western medicine mostly writes this theory off as an old wive’s tale. Naturally, colds come from viruses, not from a strong breeze, right?

The answer isn’t so simplistic.

According to the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, one of the most prominent texts of Chinese Medicine, “Wind is the chief [cause] of the one hundred diseases. When it comes to changes and transformations, other diseases result…[whatever] sets in does so because of Wind Qi.” (Unschuld, 2011, 631). 

Wind is therefore considered to be one of the greatest challenges to healing according to Chinese Medicine. Wind can be associated with acute diseases like colds, flus, allergic reactions, and even chronic health disorders. 

But how in the world can a breeze, or Wind Qi, cause illness?

Well, it’s because of how pathology can enter and move through your body’s meridian system and the protective barrier that constitutes your immune system.

Your Immune System: The Sinew Meridians & Your Wei Qi

Your Sinew Meridians are a system of channels that cover the entire surface of your body and are responsible for bringing information from your external environment to your senses. 

Most importantly, the Sinew Meridians are conduits of Wei Qi, or Defensive Qi, which protects you from your external environment much like your immune system.

When confronted by Cold, Wind or Dampness - all of which are considered pathological factors in Chinese Medicine - these meridians instigate a defense that manifests as sneezing, sweating or a fever. 

The pathological factor of Wind most easily and commonly enters your body through the back of your neck.

If the Bladder Sinew Meridian, which runs along your back and is your first line of defense, is not able to create a barrier and block the pathological factor (via a tight neck, sneeze and slight sweat), it enters the Tai Yang zone (Bladder & Small Intestine sinews).

If the pathological factor continues to challenge your body and penetrates the Sinew Meridians, it can become a cold that impacts your sinuses and respiratory system.

How You Can Support Your Wei Qi

To protect your immunity, it’s essential to prevent the leakage of your Yang Qi, which keeps your body warm. Wearing a hat, gloves, socks and shoes are basic ways to keep yourself warm.

One of the simplest things you can do to protect the Sinew Meridians from invasion by external pathology is to wear a scarf, especially when it’s cold or windy.

By covering the back of your neck, a scarf helps prevent Wind from entering an important area that’s transited by the first protectors of your Wei Qi in the Sinew Meridian system — your Bladder Sinew Meridian.

Wearing a scarf armors this first line of defense to ensure that the factor of Wind doesn’t go into your body to become a cold or another type of virus.

Even if it’s warm and windy, you can still protect yourself by wearing a light scarf.

The health of your Kidneys is also vital to maintain strong Wei Qi, or defensive Qi, so it’s also essential to keep three additional areas of your body warm—your lower back near your kidneys, your lower abdomen where your kidney energy is stored and your feet through which your Kidney meridian runs.

In essence, keeping your neck contained by wearing a scarf, and making sure your lower back, abdomen, hands and feet are warm helps protect your Wei Qi and immune system so as to prevent compromising your wellbeing during cold seasons.

Therefore, if you go out on a windy, cold day unprotected, the potential to catch a cold is not a myth.

Now that you know, I’d love to hear in the comments how you’re going to take action with these insights—does this empower you to keep your immune system strong?

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers a one-of-a-kind form of empowerment coaching, clinical services, and transformational workshops and online courses that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com. 

Two Surprisingly Simple Ways to Boost Your Immune System

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

While Autumn is the most important time of year to support your Lungs, your Lung health is essential to support your immune system year round. Here are two less common tips to strengthen your Lungs and support your immune system during Autumn and beyond.

Tip #1: Hydrate

Autumn is the season of the Metal element, which relates to the Lungs, the Large Intestine (or colon) and skin. Your skin is your body’s largest detoxification organ (byway of sweating) and therefore your most important defense against external pathogenic factors, or anything in the environment that can compromise your immunity.

Your skin is also an extension of your Lungs and what Chinese Medicine refers to as Lung Yin. Lung Yin is comprised of substance and fluids so if your Lung Yin is dry, your skin will be dry too. 

Just as the skin detoxifies your body through sweating, the Large Intestine also supports detoxification through elimination of waste. 

The Lungs, Large Intestine and skin are associated with the Metal element and the Fall season and each requires proper hydration to work efficiently.

If your colon is dry, you may experience constipation with dry, hard stools and if your Lungs are too dry you may experience dry cough, lips and mouth as well as dry skin.

Simply drinking adequate amounts of water helps hydrate these organs, but it’s also important to eat hydrating foods such as soups and stews as well as to steam and boil rather than fry or bake foods (which increase dryness) to support hydration even more.

Since most of the filtered water we drink nowadays is stripped of the minerals that help maintain proper fluid balance in the body, you may need to add some naturally processed salt to your drinking water to help your body retain fluids, especially if you notice your body feels and looks dry. 

If you’re concerned about salt because of high blood pressure, be sure to use naturally processed salt such as Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt. Pink Himalayan salt is higher in potassium and lower in sodium than Celtic salt and may actually help lower blood pressure and reduce palpitations and heart arrhythmias. 

Managing proper hydration is the first step to keeping your immune system functioning optimally by supporting the production of your defensive Qi, known as Wei Qi. 

Wei Qi circulates along your skin’s surface at night to protect you from environmental factors that can challenge your immune system. At night, your Wei Qi withdraws internally to help your have a good night’s sleep.


Tip #2: Diffuse Immune Boosting Essential Oils

Essential oils provide potent support for immune and metabolic functions. They strengthen the Lung Qi to effectively combat fatigue, low immunity and asthma. 

Evergreen essential oils, including Pine, Black Spruce, Cypress and Balsam Fir, are important immune boosting oils. 

These oils can be used in an essential oil diffuser to strengthen your immune system and prevent colds and flus during the Fall season. 

If you have pets, be especially cautious with diffusing any essential oils, especially those like Pine which can be toxic to dogs.

If you tend to get sick during this season, you can consider using Eucalyptus oils to clear congestion in your lungs especially during the acute stage of an infection. 

Eucalyptus Radiata is a good all purpose ear, nose and throat oil and very good for viruses and can be combined with Eucalyptus Citriodora or Eucalyptus Globulus to combat infections. Diffusing essential oils, particularly those extracted from evergreens, can help strengthen your Lungs and clear your home and office to protect you from colds, flus and other viruses.

Summary

Hydrating your Lungs and supporting your body’s immune function is imperative during the Fall season to protect yourself from the plethora of colds and flus that tend to arise during this time of year. By incorporating essential oils and proper hydration, you’ll effectively support your health as we approach the colder Winter season.

*Here are some dietary tips to provide you with additional support for your Lungs & immune system.

Please note: These health tips are for educational purposes only. Please consult your medical professional for health advice specific for your individual needs.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, CA, a wellness clinic he runs with his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture using Gold and Silver needles. Learn more at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic she runs with her husband, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational courses that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. Learn more at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

3 Keys to an Allergy-Free Life

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

As blossoms open and pollen fills the air in particular as we approach springtime, you may notice your allergies already begin to flare up.

Here are a few things you can do to boost your immunity and prevent allergy season from taking over your life.

Dampness manifests in the body as a fungal terrain that can promote postnasal drip and sinus congestion by trapping pollen in your body.

Dampness manifests in the body as a fungal terrain that can promote postnasal drip and sinus congestion by trapping pollen in your body.

  1. Reduce Dampness

    Dampness manifests in the body as a fungal terrain resulting most commonly from excessive use of antibiotics, birth control pills or corticosteroid medications, or a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates. You can therefore understand why one of the most effective ways to reduce dampness in the body is to reduce intake of sugars and carbohydrates, as well as the consumption of cold foods such as ice cream and too much salad, both of which tax the Spleen, the organ in charge of transformation of food into energy. A weak Spleen results in the production of excess dampness, which can present as fungus anywhere in your body, including the throat and sinuses.

    A damp terrain is a fungal terrain. Just as chronic sinusitis is now recognized to be associated with fungus, the same fungal pathology can seep into the brain to down-regulate brain neuron function.

    A damp terrain can promote postnasal drip and trap pollen in your body, creating an allergic reaction and potentially even leading to a bad cold or sinus infection. Here’s more on how dampness manifests in your body and why it presents a challenge to healing.

  2. Consider a Liver Detox

    Depending on the strength of your constitution and health overall, you may want to consider doing a Liver detox as we transition into the Spring season, which is the season that according to Chinese Medicine is most closely related to the Liver.

    Normally the Metal energy, which is related to the Lungs, controls the Wood energy, which is related to the Liver.  However, if this relationship is imbalanced due to either a weakness in the Metal energy, which is common during Autumn, or overactivity of the Wood energy, which is common during Spring, this can cause the Liver to insult the Lungs. This will happen especially if the liver is overheated with toxicity. One way to clear the Liver is through a liver detox.

    While this would be best assessed with the guidance of a healthcare professional, especially someone well versed in Chinese Medicine, there are some signs you can evaluate on your own. You can learn more in this article.

  3. Strengthen Your Kidneys, Lungs & Spleen to Support Your Immune System

    If you tend to work hard even through the more Yin seasons of the year, you may find that your immune system becomes more compromised as we transition into the more Yang seasons of Spring and Summer.

    If you rest more during Autumn and Winter, you’ll find you can more easily cultivate the energy you need to live out your goals and dreams. That’s why it’s important to take care of your Kidneys throughout the cooler months. Many of the same keys that can help you end brain fog can also help you prevent allergies.

    And if you’ve forgotten or are going through a transition that’s made self-care a challenge, you can still work on strengthening your Lungs, which is primarily associated with Autumn but support your immune system year round, and supporting your Spleen Qi and Earth energy in general to boost your immunity and protect yourself from allergies and colds.

    Strengthening your Earth and the organs of the Spleen and Stomach becomes even more essential during any transition or Doyo Period, the 18-day period that begins 9 days before each seasonal change.

By clearing your Liver, opening your Lungs and supporting your Earth energy, you can liberate yourself from the frustration of allergies and enjoy the beauty of each and every season, blossoms and all.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California. Setareh offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. Learn more at www.setarehmoafi.com.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder and Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture. Salvador also teaches Qi Gong at the Dharma Studio within A Center for Natural Healing.

How to Quickly (& Easily) Boost Your Metabolism

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

It’s often said in Chinese Medicine that your Kidneys comprise your most essential organ system.

The Kidneys house your essential energy, known as Jing Qi, as well as your willpower, or Zhi, which together lay the foundation for a healthy, long life.

The Kidney system also plays an important role in supporting your digestion and its fortitude is a major player in maintaining a healthy metabolism. This is because your Kidney Yang supports both of the primary organs of digestion in Chinese Medicine — your Spleen and your Stomach.

Healthy Digestion for a Healthy Metabolism

Metabolism is the biochemical process that enables organisms to transform chemical energy stored in molecules into energy that can be used for cellular processes. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body burns to maintain vital body functions such as heart rate, brain function and breathing.

When your metabolism is impeded, a cascade of imbalances can occur, including the interruption of basic functions including sleep and digestion.

Improving your digestion is one of the fastest ways to boost your metabolism — healthy digestion leads to nutrient absorption from food for the formation of energy.

Digestion involves two distinct parts: 

  1. Mechanical digestion by chewing, grinding, churning and mixing that takes place in the mouth and the stomach.

  2. Chemical digestion that uses enzymes, bile acids in order to break down food material into a form that can be absorbed, then assimilated into the tissues of the body. Most chemical digestion takes place in the small intestine. Many of the digestive enzymes that act in the small intestine are secreted by the pancreas and liver and enter the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. 

From a Chinese Medicine point of view, the primary organs of digestion are your Spleen and Stomach, both of which are supported by your Kidney Qi.

Your Stomach is your ‘cooking pot’ — Stomach Fire creates the acids to break down and digest proteins.

Your Spleen Qi, on the hand, needs more of an alkaline environment for the production of pancreatic enzymes to break down carbohydrates.

Warm, cooked foods including soups are easy to digest and therefore minimize the taxation on your digestive system, in particular your Spleen Qi.

Warm, cooked foods including soups are easy to digest and therefore minimize the taxation on your digestive system, in particular your Spleen Qi.

Warm, Yang energy increases circulation throughout your body and supports digestion. It’s therefore important to eat warm, cooked foods, especially in the wintertime and in colder temperatures in general.

The primary function of Spleen Qi is to transform and transport both your food and your thoughts.

Each time you consume something cold such as an iced drink or ice cream, the Spleen Qi expends even more energy to transform that food into energy.

The harder the Spleen has to work, the more it becomes taxed and its potential ability to transform and transport food (as well as your thoughts) becomes inhibited, resulting in the accumulation of dampness, phlegm and what can be recognized as a fungal terrain.

Eventually, this leads to weight gain and poor metabolic function, as well as excessive worry or overthinking resulting from the Spleen’s correlation with your mental faculty, known as Yi.

Strong Kidney Yang is essential to support your Stomach Fire and Spleen Qi to aid digestion; healthy digestion plus healthy food is what provides your body with nutrition.

Contrary to common trends that encourage eating salads in order to lose weight, Chinese Medicine encourages instead eating warm, cooked foods including soups and stews to keep the Kidney Yang and Spleen Qi vital and therefore maintain a healthy metabolism.

Warm Your Core to Boost Your Metabolism

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that are located against the back muscles in the upper abdominal area. On top of each kidney lie the adrenal glands, which produce a number of different steroid hormones that regulate many functions to maintain healthy metabolism and brain function.

The adrenals are commonly known as the ‘stress glands’ because they respond to acute stress, but if episodes of stress become chronic, long lasting or recurring, they can drive the body into metabolic crises.

Since the adrenal glands produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, and stress response, it’s important to reduce taxation on them and the Kidney system as a whole.

Besides managing your stress and eating more warm, cooked foods, it’s also important to keep your core temperature warm to support a healthy metabolism.

This is naturally more important during the colder months in Autumn and Winter, but it’s important to pay attention to this overall, especially if you’re dealing with chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion or illness.

The core of your body, known as the Dan Tian in Chinese and Hara in Japanese, stores the essential energy of your body. Too much cold stagnates the energy in this region, inhibiting it from circulating throughout the rest of your body.

It’s important to cultivate this core energy through practices including Yoga and Qi Gong, as well as to keep this area of your body warm in general.

Moxibustion — the application of heat from warming herbs including mugwort along specific points and areas of the body — is an exceptional way to bring warmth to your Kidneys and to the core of your body.

Your Acupuncturist may do moxibustion on specific points that support your metabolism. You can also place a moxa heat pack directly on your lower abdomen and lower back to help nourish your Kidney energy and increase your core temperature, especially during the colder months.

Far infrared saunas are another way to warm your core temperature and support your Kidneys. The many benefits of the longer wavelength infrared waves that are thermal include improved circulation, better sleep, pain reduction, detoxification, and increased metabolism.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the gentle heat induction from far infrared rays helps you increase blood circulation. As your body increases sweat production to cool itself, your heart works harder to pump blood at a greater rate to boost circulation and therefore support your metabolism.


Conclusion

A healthy metabolism supports you to feel vital and energetic while supporting all of the basic functions of your body, including your heart rate, gut health, brain function, and breathing.

The fundamental way to to support your metabolism is to maintain the health of your Kidney energy.

The Kidneys are more than just an individual organ in Chinese Medicine as they also correspond to your reproductive system, adrenal glands, auditory system, your skeletal structure and your brain. Important hormones that support your body’s ability to regenerate, such as DHEA, testosterone, progesterone and estrogen all relate to your Kidneys health.

Two of the easiest ways to support this process is to eat mostly warm, cooked foods and drinks as well as that you keep the core of your body strong, supple and warm.

 

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Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic she runs with her husband, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational courses that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. Learn more at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

3 Simple Shifts to Reduce Stress & Stay Healthy through the Holidays

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

The busy holiday season comes upon us during the most Yin time of year when what the body needs most is to slow down and rest. Nonetheless, there are things you can do to offset the Yang energy of this often stressful time of year by simplifying your habits and self-care to keep yourself from getting rundown.

Below are three simple changes you can make to keep your energy and immunity strong — without adding to your shopping or to-do lists.

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3 Shifts to Optimize Your Health During the Holidays

  1. Eat warm, cooked foods

    By this I mean try to eat only warm, cooked foods.

    Avoid salads, smoothies and too much fruit, all of which can create Cold and even Dampness in your Stomach and create a fungal terrain that can compromise your gut health, which is foundation for your immune system.

    According to Chinese Medicine, the nature of foods is essential to how each food is assimilated in the body, and this has seasonal implications. For example, cucumbers and watermelon are considered more cooling, which is why they’re more readily available during the summertime, while meats such as lamb are more warming and therefore more common in colder climates. So meat stew would be an appropriate wintertime stew and watermelon juice is more appropriate during the hot Summer.

    Spices are also considered more warming according to Chinese Medicine, so adding more spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and cardamom to your diet during the colder months will not only keep your body warmer, but it’ll also support your gut health and optimize your immune function.


  2. Do less by saying no more

    The more Yin seasons of Fall and Winter are great for laying down the foundation for harvesting your goals and dreams, but the very Yin nature of these times of the year make it essential to take more time to rest. It’s no wonder many animals go into hibernation during the wintertime.

    Sometimes more rest starts simply with doing less by saying no — in saying no to others, you say yes to more of your own personal needs, which in and of itself initiates the process of slowing down.

    You don’t have to go to every holiday party or get your workout in every day.

    According to Chinese Medicine, boundaries fall in the domain of the Earth element, which must be upheld during all seasonal transitions and throughout the year to keep your immune function strong. That’s because the Earth element is comprised of your Spleen and Stomach, the main organ systems in charge of digestion and gut health. Healthy boundaries come out of having a healthy Earth energy and having the ability to say no. (You can read more about why boundaries are essential to your health in this article.)

    The Yin months of the year are a time to slow down and build your energy, not expend it.

    To prevent yourself from overdoing it, it’s essential to listen to your body and say no when you can.


  3. Go to bed earlier

    The more rest you get during the Yin months, the more energy you’re conserving and consolidating so you can brings your dreams to fruition during the more Yang months. The less rest, and especially sleep you get during the Fall and Winter, the more you’re going to tax your Lungs (Fall) and Kidneys (Winter), which will leave you feeling exhausted as the Yang energy starts to rise during the warmer seasons.

    Lack of rest also compromises your immune function making you more prone to colds and allergies during the Spring and Summer months.

    Since the rest you get at night helps you consolidate more of your Yin resources, over time when you go to bed earlier you’ll find yourself more focused and energized during the day.

    According to Chinese Medicine, the most essential time to be asleep is from 11pm to 1am during which the Liver and Gallbladder start to build blood and regulate Qi to support emotional processing, hormone balancing and detoxification.

    You can definitely rest and sleep more during the day (and if you can, you should!) but it’s difficult to generate the blood that gets lost by staying up late at night and this is especially true for women because of monthly menstruation.

    If it’s hard for you to think about getting more sleep or getting to bed before 11pm, start with going to bed 5 minutes earlier than you normally do every night for one week — at the end of the week you’ll have gained over 30 minutes of extra nightly sleep (or at least rest).

    It’s also important to do something relaxing and turn off cell phones, tablets and TVs at least one to two hours before bedtime to calm your nervous system and allow your melatonin levels to rise so you can sleep more restfully. (You can read more about the importance of sleep and how it affects your health in this article).


Remember that small, incremental shifts lead to big transformations. But these transformations take time. It’s important that you nourish and be gentle with yourself, focusing on what you have to enjoy during this beautifull holiday season.

Never feel overwhelmed by what to eat again.

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Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic she runs with her husband, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational courses that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. Learn more at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

How to Bring Clarity & Order to Your Life

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

According to Chinese Medicine, order and organization are ruled by the Metal element, which is associated with the Lungs, Large Intestine and skin.

In the same way that a smooth, deep breath helps you feel more relaxed and even safe, a balanced Metal element helps maintain order in your life.

The Significance of the Metal Element

Life begins with the first breath and therefore the meridian sequence begins with the Lungs.

The Lungs, Large Intestine and skin are all Metal organs. Each of these organs connect us to the external world and help us to let go—through our breath (Lungs), bowels (Large Intestine) and sweat (skin).

The internal branch of the Lungs travels down and attaches to the Large Intestine. One of the main virtues of the Lungs and the Metal element is letting go—through the exhalation of the Lungs, and through the bowels in the movement of the colon/Large Intestine.

Inhalation is about drawing in Qi and exhalation is about letting go and detoxifying the body. When we are faced with a challenging situation, often our first response is to hold our breath. Self-cultivation practices including Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Ji teach us to instead observe and control our breathing.

Breath awareness helps strengthen your Lungs and draws you out of your mind and into your body so you can be more present. It is in this space that you can find acceptance of where you are rather than trying to make it something else so as to create resistance and stress.

Resistance builds the foundation for disease development. Resistance manifests as Wind, which according to Chinese Medicine is considered to be one of the Six Evils and is responsible. Wind manifests when your body-mind is unable to accommodate to change and can show up in a myriad of ways including acute illnesses like colds, flus and allergic reactions, as well as chronic degenerative health disorders. (You can read more about Wind here).

The virtue of Metal is letting go and forgiveness, both of which anchor us in the present moment. This virtue leads us to acceptance, which is the opposite of resistance.

So while imbalances in your Metal organs also impedes your ability to think clearly as a result of accumulation of toxicity in the body via the Lungs, colon and skin, balancing your Metal organs help you to let go and to create a sense of clarity and order in your life.

The Significance of Metal Energy in Your Life

Metal energy relates to elimination, purity and respiration. The emotion that’s associated with imbalanced Metal is grief. Balancing your Metal energy therefore empowers you to transform grief into acceptance.

Metal energy creates order, which is why Metal type personalities are highly methodical, efficient and organized.

When the Metal organs, in particular the Lungs and Large Intestine, are out of balance, you’ll be prone to immune and respiratory issues, as well as constipation. Metal relates to the season of Autumn, which means that these organs, including the skin, are particularly sensitive to dryness—the predominant environmental factor during this time of year. The Lungs, colon and skin all benefit from a more moist environment and proper hydration. Clearing these organ systems not only benefits your body, but it also helps develop greater clarity in your mind.

If life feels chaotic, balancing your Metal energy will help you make the shift to transform chaos into clarity.

Especially during the Metal season of Autumn, it’s important to harmonize your Metal energy to optimize the strength of your immune system and gut health. While there are a number of foods that can support this process, one of the key tools to rebalance Metal is to bring order and organization to your life. And the ways to do this may not all be so obvious.

How to Cultivate Clarity by Balancing Your Metal Energy

Here are 5 keys to balance your Metal energy so you can feel a sense of order and clarity in your life:

  1. Breathe deeply. Remember that the Lungs are the primary organ associated with the Metal element. The deeper you breathe, the more connected you’ll feel to your body and to the present moment, which in and of itself brings a sense of clarity and peace. Deep breathing also helps strengthen the Lungs to protect your immune system and reduce feelings of sadness and melancholy which are especially common during the Autumn months. Ujjayi breathing is a simple breathing practice you can practice daily. Since we run through a lot of our day breathing unconsciously, I often tell my patients and students to set a timer to remind them to pause and breathe consciously every hour.

  2. Practice more mind-body-breath movement practices such as Yoga, Tai Ji and Qi Gong. When you coordinate breath with movement, Qi, or energy, travels more fluidly throughout your entire body. The circulation of Qi is governed by the Lungs.

  3. Declutter your work and home spaces. You can begin by simply cleaning out a few drawers or taking things out of your closet and cabinets that you don’t like or need and donating them to your local charity. If you want to go all-in and do a full house declutter, you can implement the KonMari Method, by letting go of anything and everything that no longer ‘sparks joy.’

  4. Develop a daily writing practice. I always recommend starting your day by writing Morning Pages — 3 longhand pages of a sort of uncensored ‘brain dump’ to clear your mind. I was first introduced to this practice in The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and it’s been a daily practice for me for well over a decade. But really any kind of writing will help clear your mind so you can better organize your thoughts and time. Even making lists helps to bring the clutter out of your mind and onto paper. The idea is to make yourself more aware of your worries, fears, tasks, challenges, and accomplishments. Only then can you let them all go.

  5. Spend more time in nature. The essential oils of most trees, including Eucalyptus, Pine and Cypress support the Lung system in Chinese Medicine. Getting out into nature among the trees in the same way helps support this system and the Metal energy in general. One of the best ways to slow down and heal is to spend more time in nature.

All of these tools share the common theme of bringing you into a state of presence with how you feel and therefore helping you deepen your self-awareness.

Only when you’re calm inside will the world feel more clear and calm.

Decluttering and cultivating order in these small ways will support you to improve your health and bring a greater sense of clarity to every aspect of your life.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. 

Why You Need More than Exercise to Strengthen Your Lungs

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. & Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

Supporting the strength and health of your Lungs during the Fall season goes beyond simply staying in shape with exercise.

While practices that focus on breathing, including Yoga and Qi Gong, are essential, there are other factors that are also important to support your Lungs and fortify your immune system throughout this season.


Foods to Support Your Lung Health

Since dryness is the predominant factor during Autumn, it’s essential to stay hydrated during this time of the year. And while drinking water is important, it’s also essential to be mindful of your diet, focusing on eating more moistening foods and avoiding foods that can increase dryness in your body.

In terms of grains, rice, millet and oats are the moistening grains whereas wheat, quinoa and buckwheat are more drying and should be avoided if you tend to feel more dry during this time. You may experience dryness most commonly in your mouth, lips, skin, nails, and hair.

Fruits are also very hydrating but should be consumed in moderation as the sweet nature of fruit can create phlegm and congest the Lungs. Citrus for example in the form of orange juice is overly concentrated in sugar and can cause phlegm or mucus to develop, weakening your Lung's Qi.

Compact fruits such as pears, apples, Asian pears, and persimmons are most beneficial to nourish your Lungs. These fruits moisten the Lungs’ Yin to stop a dry cough and increase hydration during the dry season. In fact, drinking a little pear juice before going to bed can help you fall asleep since the Lungs must be nourished to anchor the Wei Qi, or defensive Qi, of the body, to help you fall asleep.

Pears and other compact fruits help nourish your Lung Yin.

Pears and other compact fruits help nourish your Lung Yin.

We often recommend preparing an apple-pear stew before bedtime to nourish the Lungs, which helps clear your throat, reduce coughing and support you to fall asleep.

All you have to do is cut up an apple and a pear and place covered in a small pot on low heat. No water is necessary. The fruit will cook in its own juice. You can also add some cardamon, which helps reduce phlegm, and some cinnamon, which is warming, for a healthy evening treat!

Dairy is another food type that’s hydrating for the lungs. However, the excessively hydrating properties of dairy products give them the tendency to create dampness in the form of mucous, which can stress the Lungs and cause sinus and even ear congestion. So be cautious with dairy foods such as yogurt, cheese or kefir if you tend to have sinus problems.

In Chinese Medicine, dampness relates to excessive fluid congestion and in terms of Western medicine, excessive dampness is equivalent to a fungal condition. Fungus feeds on sugar so if you have chronic sinus congestion or tend to have "sinus drip" it's important to focus on drying up this damp terrain by avoiding damp foods such as dairy as well as foods with high sugar content, including fruit.

How Foods Are Cooked Matters

Food preparation is also critical in how food is processed in your body. For example, steamed foods and soups are more hydrating and moistening whereas barbecued, baked and fried foods are more drying.

Baked goods and toasted nuts and cereals are in general very drying to the body. In contrast, soups and stews hydrate the Stomach and Lungs. You may notice that your lips and skin are less dry if you consume more of these liquid-based foods during the Fall.

Conclusion

What you eat matters for your health, and paying attention to the prominent factors during each season is essential to make proper dietary adjustments. In addition, remember to keep up with your exercise (including Yoga to strengthen your lungs) and read our other Fall tips to support your immune health so you can fully enjoy this beautiful season.

Never feel overwhelmed by what to eat again.

Join the waitlist for our one-of-a-kind-nutrition course.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, CA, a wellness clinic he runs with his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture using Gold and Silver needles. Learn more at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic she runs with her husband, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational courses that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. Learn more at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Healthy Transitions: 6 Keys to Support your Earth During Times of Change

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

The one universal constant for all of us in life is the presence of change. 

During various points in our lives, we all go through periods of transition — from birth to graduation, to marriage, and finally death. Throughout our journey, we see the evolution of our bodies and minds, hormonal changes including menarche and menopause for women and andropause for men. 

Because transition can be challenging and throw off your rhythm, it’s easy to end up sick or so tired that it takes weeks to recover and feel like yourself again.

While the only constant in life is change, it doesn’t have to be so hard — but it is essential that we equip ourselves with better self-care and be mindful of the potential effects of these changes on our health.

According to the Five Element system of Chinese Medicine, transitions are orchestrated by the Earth element which is associated with the primary organs systems that are in charge of digestion, the Spleen and Stomach. 

These organs are responsible for the transportation and transformation of food and thought, and they’re therefore the organs that are most needed, and thus most vulnerable, when something in your life is changing.

Any kind of change affects the Earth element, which is why it’s important to pay close attention to this element during times of transition.

Especially during transitions, it’s essential to harmonize the Earth element and ensure that it’s kept strong and balanced. 

 

Cultivating a Healthy Earth

The health of your Earth element relates to your digestion, as well as your ability to take care of yourself and others. 

An out of balance Earth type can present itself most often in one of two ways.

First, a person with an Earth imbalance may over-care for people. In other words, he or she will lack boundaries, meddle and offer advice to people who don’t ask, and be overly concerned with other people’s needs. This person may also tend to accumulate a lot of extra weight and present with a pattern of over-indulgence, whether food or relationships. 

In contrast, another person with an Earth imbalance may lack the ability to provide care for herself and others. This presents as poor self-care, as well as a lack of awareness of her own needs. This imbalanced Earth type may complain that she doesn’t like to cook or is always drained from doing too much as a result of her internal disharmony. 

In both cases, when Earth is out of balance, the individual will most often have accompanying digestive symptoms including diarrhea or constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or simply an excessive or poor appetite depending on the type of imbalance.

The best way to prevent an Earth imbalance is to make sure you’re doing proper self-care, especially during times of transition. 

Times of transition include all seasonal changes, weddings, graduations, menarche, menopause, andropause, back-to-school, moving to a different home or business, and the loss of a loved one, including a pet.

Since Earth is the element that transforms and supports change, it is important that this element be kept strong and vital during any transition or life change. Since the Spleen and Stomach are the primary organs associated with the Earth element, it’s imperative to strengthen and support your digestive system during these times. 

6 Ways to Support Your Earth Element During and After a Transition

  1. Eat More Nourishing, Hydrating Foods such as yams, sweet potatoes, and soups. The easier foods are to digest, and the more cooked they are, the easier these foods will be on your digestive system.

  2. Commit to a Daily Relaxation Practice. Your digestive system is closely linked to your parasympathetic nervous system, which when activated helps you rest and digest. If you’re under a lot of stress, the sympathetic nervous system— our fight or flight response—will become active, and over time will result in physical and mental tension and focus that keeps you in survival mode thus inhibiting your ability to properly slow down. To protect and optimize our digestive system, and thus the Earth element, you must learn to relax. Yoga, Qi Gong and even a simple 10 minute mindfulness meditation can be immensely powerful to foster this sense of relaxation throughout each day.

  3. Optimize Your Self-Care. This involves taking time to slow down and relax, but beyond that, it also means you maintain boundaries with your time and energy. One very important aspect of self-care that’s related to a healthy Earth is cooking for yourself and making sure to take time to eat without distractions.

  4. Create a More Regular Daily Rhythm or Schedule. Whether or not you work a 9-5 job, it’s important that you create some sort of regularity with your sleep, eating and exercise. Earth thrives on rituals and predictable rhythms and your digestive system will thank you for knowing when you’ll get your next meal. Changing this rhythm during weekends and vacations is natural and of course acceptable.

  5. Manage Your Finances. Earth has to do with all the things that nourish and keep us feeling a sense of safety. In the material world, money is one of those elements. That’s why it’s important to keep track of where your money is going, to balance your checkbooks and reduce debts in order to prevent the worry that is characteristic of an Earth imbalance.

  6. Clean and Organize Your Home and Office. Earth types who are balanced keep a clean and very organized home and workplace, whereas those who are out of balance, misplace things and tend to accumulate a lot of clutter. Try to maintain a sense of order with whatever system most resonates with you in the places where you spend your time.

When we go through times of change, maintenance of our rhythm and order is what usually falls off our radar first. So the next time you find yourself entering a transition of any kind, try being more mindful of maintaining the simple things including your regimen, a good diet, and a clean home. These simple things can provide a sense of harmony as you move through the uncertainty and constant changes of life.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Setareh offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

Unblock These 3 Areas & Watch Your Life Blossom

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

The Spring Equinox, also known as the Vernal Equinox, is the moment during which the sun crosses the celestial equator. It also marks the dramatic shift from the most Yin season of Winter to the year’s first Yang season of Spring.

The Yang energy that was dormant during Winter becomes available to support you to manifest your goals and dreams.

(If you haven’t set your goals for this year, this article will help).

This transition from Yin to Yang is filled with potential. However, it’s essential to unblock three major areas of your life—your environment, your body and your mind—to have the energy and health you need to fully blossom.

Here are some recommendations to help you get started.

The Yang energy of springtime brings rebirth and renewal to support you to fulfill your dreams so you can blossom.

The Yang energy of springtime brings rebirth and renewal to support you to fulfill your dreams so you can blossom.

Declutter Your Environment

Clearing your environment is essential to clear your body and mind. During past Spring transitions I’ve mentioned the fact that the KonMari Method as taught by its founder, Marie Kondo, has made a tremendous impact in my life and in our home. If you’re too busy to read her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you can watch her new series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, on Netflix for some Spring cleaning inspiration.

The basic idea of the KonMari Method is to sort through all your clothing and belongings and only keep the things that ‘spark joy.’

The practice of decluttering not only clears your mind, but it also creates space for more Qi and therefore greater possibilities to flow into your life.

In Feng Shui, the arrangement of space as well as the placement and orientation of objects is important to unblock the energy, or Qi, of the environment so that there is greater flow.

Clearing and decluttering is the most essential way to create space for Qi to move freely through your environment, which then allows Qi to move more freely throughout your life.


Detoxify Your Body

It’s just as important to declutter your body and mind as it is to declutter your home and your environment.

Just as a toxic external environment can negatively impact your health, so too can a toxic internal environment.

The key is to start by making small yet significant dietary and lifestyle adjustments to relieve your body of the toxic burden that’s inhibiting your physical, mental and emotional health.

You don’t have to transform your entire diet right away. You can begin simply by adding more cooked leafy green vegetables, such as collard greens, chard, dandelion greens, kale, and spinach, to support the health of your Liver.

Since the Liver is the organ that’s most closely associated with the Spring season according to Chinese Medicine, it’s especially important to clear stagnation from this organ during this time.

Rather than do an intensive Liver detox, you can start by adding healthy Liver foods, especially in the form of vegetables to your diet. In addition to eating more leafy greens, you can eat more asparagus, celery and blueberries.

Reducing your intake of certain toxic foods will also help reduce the toxic load that can burden your Liver. Start by eating less fat, especially in the form of trans fats and hydrogenated oils, as well as refined sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. All of these foods perpetuate a damp heat environment in the body that can cause inflammation and, among other things, can lead to weight gain, pain and metabolic issues.

You can also experiment with intermittent fasting—increasing the hours between your food intake at certain times of the day to allow your insulin levels to decrease far enough and for long enough that your body begins to burn excess fat.

An example would be to stop eating after dinner, say around 7pm, and then resume eating again the next morning at 9am for a 14-hour fast.

The benefits of intermittent fasting include weight loss (particular to get rid of the stubborn belly fat) and lowered levels of oxidative stress to cells throughout the body. Practicing fasting has also been shown to improve your body’s ability to deal with stress at a cellular level by activating cellular stress response pathways to mildly stimulate your body’s stress response. Over time, this protects your body against cellular stress and reduces your susceptibility to cellular aging and disease development.

Quiet Your Mind

The ‘monkey mind’ can be erratic and when left to its own devices, it can lead you towards distraction and negative thinking, impeding you from achieving your goals.

To focus, it’s essential to get your mind to settle so that you can be more present.

The best way to do this is to make time for regular self-cultivation. Simple practices adapted from Yoga can have a profound impact on your mental state. (If you want to practice with me live, you can register for an upcoming event here).

I recommend about 5 minutes of Pranayama (breath control) practice, 10 minutes of Meditation and 10-15 minutes of a physical practice such as Qi Gong or Yoga postures daily. Making time for these practices each morning will help you stay immensely more calm, clear and present throughout the day.

Here’s a 25-minute morning practice sequence you can try at home:

  1. Begin by sitting in a comfortable seated position, preferably on a cushion or pillow.

    With your right thumb, close your right nostril and breathe in and out of your left nostril five times. (You may need to use a tissue to clean out the nostrils first). On your final exhalation, force all the air you can out of your left nostril.

    Then repeat on the right side—still using your right hand, close your left nostril with your ring finger and breathe in and out of your right nostril five times. With the final exhalation, breathe all the remaining air out of your right nostril.

    Finally, place both of your hands onto your knees and breathe in and out of both nostrils slowly and steadily five times. Empty your lungs fully, pushing all the remaining air out through both of your nostrils with your last breath. Then, sit quietly and continue to take deep breaths. You should feel a shift in your consciousness, with your mind more clear and empty following this practice.

  2. Sit quietly for 10 minutes and practice the meditation in the video below.

  3. Practice any physical postures you’re comfortable with in Qi Gong or Yoga for about 10 minutes. You can try any of the short sequences and postures here.

Even if at first you have to set your alarm to wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual to do these practices, you’ll begin to feel more energized throughout the day and have better quality of sleep at night. You’ll quickly see that it’s worth the effort and find joy in waking up to practice each morning.

Over time, the immense benefits that come from committing to these changes will allow you to fully blossom into your potential.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

6 Dietary Tips to Strengthen Your Kidneys & Support Winter Health

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

During all seasonal changes, it’s important to make lifestyle adjustments to adapt to the new season and optimize your health.

Winter corresponds with the Water element and the Kidneys. (Learn more about this here)

*Below are six foods that will help strengthen your Kidney energy to ensure a healthy Winter season.

These foods are especially beneficial during the colder months of the year, but can also be of benefit to help fortify your Kidneys in general, especially if you’re feeling depleted or burned out.

Seafood relates to the Water element and is in general important to strengthen the Kidneys.

Seafood relates to the Water element and is in general important to strengthen the Kidneys.

  1. Eat some pork. According to Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys house your essence, known as Jing, and relate to the gonads, your brain and your bones. Since every cell in your body requires fat for membrane integrity, a fatty meat like pork provides the best support for the Kidneys.

    From a Chinese medical point of view, pork can also help strengthen the sinews and bones, decrease Wind spasms to alleviate neurological issues, and help treat muscle weakness and conditions such as fibromyalgia.

  2. Have eggs for breakfast a few times a week. Considered a complete protein, eggs are another important wintertime food that support the Kidneys particularly in relation to the body’s essence, or Jing.

  3. Sprinkle some seeds on your food. Seeds, including sesame, flax, chia, sunflower, and pumpkin, are important Kidney tonifying foods that also help build Jing.

  4. Eat more fish and seafood. Seafood in general is related to the Water element. Therefore, seafood tonifies the Kidneys. Crustaceans including lobster, shrimp and crab are said to be more warming, or Yang, so it’s best to avoid them if a lot of inflammation is present. Mollusks including mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops on the other hand, are considered more Yin nourishing.

    Also, fatty fish are generally high in omega-3 oils, which studies have shown to be beneficial for neurological function and brain protection. For instance, a number of studies have shown that higher intakes of omega-3 oils significantly reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease as well as vascular dementia.

    The bulk of these omegas are made up of of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaeonic acid (DHA). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is found in the meat of coldwater fish, including mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, and seal blubber. DHA can be converted into EPA in the body.

    Studies have shown that DHA supplementation not only improves memory in cases of Alzheimer’s disease but can improve age-related memory loss as well.

    Since the brain is an extension of the Kidneys according to Chinese Medicine, both DHA and EPA are crucial for the health of this system.

    Seaweed and freshwater algaes such as phytoplankton are the only plant sources of DHA and EPA, though in a low concentration except as a supplement, so these are especially important foods for vegetarians.

  5. Cook with oils high in monounsaturated fats. Olive oil and avocado oil are especially beneficial to support healthy brain function and therefore the Kidney system. Just remember that olive oil has a low smoke point (about 200 degrees), after which it can become toxic, while avocado oil has a high smoke of about 500 degrees. Monounsaturated fats in general can help reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol.

    Since inflammation is a sign of internal heat, it’s best to avoid polyunsaturated oils as these types of oils get rancid easily and therefore can become toxic in a body with excessive heat and inflammation.

  6. Add some spice to your meals. Spices such as cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, coriander, anise, and cloves are all warming for the Kidney Yang and particularly useful for someone who tends to have a cold body and fatigue.

    If you tend to have a lot of internal heat or have a tendency to overheat physically or emotionally (anxiety or anger), you’ll want to go easy on the spices in general. However, adding a bit of spice to your food — especially in the morning — can not only help warm up your body but it’ll also help perk up both your mind and mood.

Spices help warm the body during the cold Winter months and are especially important in the case of adrenal and Kidney Yang deficiency with cold body and fatigue.

Spices help warm the body during the cold Winter months and are especially important in the case of adrenal and Kidney Yang deficiency with cold body and fatigue.

Consolidating the energy of the Kidneys during wintertime is essential to rejuvenate and prepare yourself for the more active Yang seasons of Spring and Summer that follow.

In addition to your diet, it’s essential to get plenty of rest and sleep more during the Winter months. The shorter days and longer nights naturally encourage this and as long as you honor the seasonal changes and your body’s needs, you’ll enjoy impeccable health throughout the year.

*Please note: the information provided in this article is meant for general health maintenance and not meant to be advice to treat disease or be appropriate for everyone. In general, diet must be tailored to the individual. If you want personalized recommendations, you can schedule a nutritional consultation and also ask about food allergy testing through our clinic.

 

Want to know how to
heal yourself with food?

Learn to use Classical Chinese Dietetics to create your custom nutrition plan so you can let go of overwhelm with food for good. Join the waitlist to get free insights & be the first to know when enrollment opens for our one-of-a-kind course.

 

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 



Transitioning into Winter: The Doyo Period & Your Family Relationships

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

winter heart

As we approach the Winter Solstice, we find ourselves once again in the transitional period between seasons, known as the Doyo period. The Doyo is the period that is ruled by the Earth element, which encompasses the Spleen and Stomach organ systems.

Chapter 29 of one of the foremost classical Chinese Medicine texts, Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, states: “The spleen, that is the soil. It governs the center. Throughout the four seasons it tends the four depots. In each [season] it is entrusted with government for eighteen days.”

Since Doyo is related to the Earth element and the Spleen represents Earth energy, according to commentary on this classical text, this Earth energy dominates for eighteen days at the end of each individual season.

Earth elemental energy relates back to your digestive system and the primary organs involved are the Spleen and Stomach. These organs are the fundamental producers of Qi, Blood and Body Fluids within the body.

We’re all familiar with Blood, but the concepts of Fluids and Qi are quite unique to Chinese Medicine. For example, from a Chinese medical point of view, Fluids include the fluids of your sweat, saliva and tears as well as your body’s hormonal secretions.

The focus of this article is on the concept of Qi as it relates to the element of Earth.

The Earth organs generate Qi in the body from the food and drink you consume. So in this sense, Qi is energy. If you have strong Qi, you have good energy or stamina, and healthy immune system function.

Our Daoist teacher, Jeffrey Yuen, a world-renowned expert in Classical Chinese Medicine, has a different perspective about Qi and likes to consider the concept of Qi in the context of relationships.

Water which is the element of Winter is associated with the Kidney organ system which stores the Essence of one’s being, called Jing. Therefore, with this understanding we can see that the strength of your Kidney’s Qi will reflect the strength of your relationship to yourself and influence the level of self-esteem you bring into your life.

In terms of the Earth element, Earth energy is about nurturing others especially in terms of family. So the Qi of Earth relates especially to family relationships, and the health of your Earth energy (digestive health) relates back to how you were nurtured by your parents and your ability to be caring and nurturing of others as an adult.

The holiday season often includes a lot of interaction with family, making it common to experience a resurrection of unresolved emotional issues relating to family. These emotionally challenging times can take a great toll on your gastrointestinal system and potentially lead to flare-ups of symptoms that may have been lying dormant.

Many people are easily triggered simply with the idea of having to spend time with family or particular family members, let alone having obligatory direct personal interaction in general. If this is the case for you, it indicates that the Qi of your Earth is in an imbalanced state.

If you have a hard time with your family, especially for a protracted period, the health of your Earth suffers and your ability to digest and assimilate nutrients becomes compromised leading to a lack of Qi in your life.

If you lack Qi, oxygen is not properly circulating throughout your system and this will compromise the function of every single cell of your body. With this said, the function of all your organs and glands will be compromised which will impact your immune system, cardiac system, endocrine system, reproductive systems as well as your brain system.

This is why digestive health is considered the cornerstone to your well being.

In previous articles on supporting your Earth energy, we’ve shared how Earth corresponds with the digestive organs, so supporting your gut health through proper diet and eating habits is fundamental to heal your body.

Since healing your body, especially your digestive system, is closely tied to the health of your family relationships, below are some tips to support you in healing these issues as well.

How to Begin the Process of Healing Your Relationships

Healing these relationships will not be an easy task if you expect someone else to change. What you can do however is begin to change yourself. You can start by:

  1. Practicing forgiveness and letting go of the past to free up the energy that may be keeping you stuck in old patterns.

    You can learn practices to support you to let go here and here.

  2. Creating healthy boundaries.

    There are cases in which your relationships with certain family members may never be good, healthy or rewarding. This is why sometimes the best solution is to completely disconnect from a toxic relationship regardless of if it’s a family member. However, this should be done with compassion and unconditional love which again requires that you work on yourself to let go of past resentments and bad feelings that can make you ill as well.

    Boundaries are an important part of cultivating healthy Earth energy. Click here for ways to strengthen your Earth and create strong, healthy boundaries.

In the end, the process of healing your relationships with others begins by healing your relationship with yourself. Focusing on your Spleen and Stomach organ systems and your gut health in general will initiate the changes within you so that you are more readily available to heal your relationships with your loved ones. In that way, you can enjoy a healthy and nourishing holiday and Winter season.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Immune Support for Autumn

By Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Autumn is the most important time of year to support your Lungs. Autumn is the season of the Metal element, which relates to both the Lungs and the Large Intestine organs.

Combating Dryness During the Fall Season

Each season has an associated pathological factor that must be managed during that period. During Summer, it’s essential to manage Heat while Winter is Cold, Spring is about Wind and Fall is about Dryness.

Our skin is an extension of our Lungs and what we call in Chinese Medicine Lung Essence. Essence is about substance and fluids so if your Lung Essence is dry, your skin will be dry too.

The skin is considered the largest detoxification organ of the body as it releases toxins through sweating. The colon or Large Intestine is also a large detoxification organ through its elimination of waste.

All of these organs - the Lungs, Large Intestine and skin - are associated with the Metal element and the Fall season.

Both the Lungs and Large Intestine require proper hydration to work efficiently and it’s quite easy to tell if these organs are too dry.

If the colon is too dry, there will be constipation with dry, hard stools and if the Lungs are too dry the skin will be dry and appear dehydrated with a rough, wrinkled texture. A dry cough and dryness of the nose, lips and mouth are other key signs of Lung dryness.

Simply drinking adequate amounts of water is an easy solution to hydrate both of these organs. Today, however, with high consumption of filtered water, we’re not ingesting adequate amounts of minerals to maintain proper fluid balance in the body.

If you’re noticing that your body feels and looks dry, try adding some naturally processed salt to your drinking water to help your body hold onto fluid.

If you’re concerned about taking too much salt because of high blood pressure, be sure to use naturally processed salt such as Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt.

Pink salt is higher in potassium and lower in sodium than Celtic salt and you may be pleasantly surprised to watch your blood pressure drop with the addition of more natural salt in your diet.

If you’re dealing with high blood pressure along with weak kidney function and leg edema, be careful with any additional salt increase and monitor your blood pressure as you introduce natural salt into your diet slowly and certainly discontinue if you do not respond favorably with the addition of natural salt in your diet.

Potassium helps reduce blood pressure, palpitations and heart arrhythmias so if you have such symptoms, try using the Himalayan pink salt.

Adding natural salt to your drinking water can be especially beneficial if you notice fatigue, muscle weakness or brain fog throughout the day.

I was recently having elevated blood pressure in the morning and simply by drinking warm water with Himalayan pink salt my blood pressure quickly dropped to normal levels.

Managing proper hydration is the first step to keeping your immune system functioning optimally by supporting the production of your Defensive Qi called Wei Qi.

essential-oils.jpg

Essential Oils Provide Potent Support for Immune and Metabolic Functions

Essential oils strengthen the Lung Qi to effectively combat fatigue, low immunity and asthma.

Evergreen essential oils, including Pine, Black Spruce, Cypress and Balsam Fir, are important immune boosting oils.

These oils can be used in an oil diffuser to strengthen a weak immune system and prevent colds and flus during the Fall season.


Essential Oils for Acute Illness - Colds and Flus

If you tend to get sick during this season, consider a different set of essential oils during the acute stage of illness.

Any of the Eucalyptus oils can be used to clear congestion in the lungs.

  • Eucalyptus Radiata is a good all purpose ear, nose and throat oil and very good for viruses. Combine it with Eucalyptus Citriodora or Eucalyptus Globulus to combat infections.

  • Eucalyptus Polybractea and Eucalyptus Dives can be used when there’s deep congestion in the sinuses and lungs that’s difficult to get out. Eucalyptus Polybractea can also be used along with the other anti-infectious essential oils listed below as a steam for a deep inhalation treatment.

Note: do not breathe in Eucalyptus Dives essential oil directly as it can be very harsh and caustic to the sinus membranes.

Ravensare is a strong antiviral and anti-infectious essential oil that you can diffuse or add to your steam inhalation treatment to recover from a cold or flu. Aromatherapists recommend taking 1 drop every 2 hours of food grade Ravensare essential oil internally for acute flu.

Thyme, Bay Laurel, Lemon, and Lavender are all powerful antiseptic oils to fight bacteria and viruses during the acute stage as well.

Be cautious in administering essential oils to children and especially toddlers as not all of these oils are appropriate for them and dosage needs to be reduced significantly as well.

Lemon, Lavender, Thyme Linalool and Bay Laurel are extremely potent essential oils for swollen lymph glands and throat infections such as tonsillitis.

Hydrosols: A gentle way to introduce essential oils into your health regimen

Hydrosols are a concentrated water based by-product created from the steam-distillation of plant materials in the production of Essential oils.

The concentration of essential oil in hydrosols is much lower than in the concentrated oil itself so they are much gentler and easier to use with direct topical application such as a spray mist.

Regular use will still provide potent benefits especially when you are using for preventative purposes such as treating fatigue or low immunity and topically for various skin conditions.

Hydrosols are also a wonderful way to hydrate the skin and provide an astringent quality to tighten pores and provide a more youthful glow.

Some of the most useful essential oil hydrosols for dry, mature skin types are Rose Geranium, Rose, Frankincense, Lavender, Fennel seed and Sandalwood.

If there is facial flushing from PMS or menopausal heat, Clary Sage, Sage and Cypress hydrosols can be quite beneficial additions as well.


Summary for Fall Immune Support

Combating Lung dryness and supporting your body’s immune function is imperative during the Fall season with the plethora of colds and flus that tend to arise during this time of year.

By incorporating essential oils and hydrosols along with proper nutrition and hydration, you’ll effectively support your health as we approach the colder Winter season.

Please note: These health tips are for educational purposes only. Please consult your medical professional for health advice specific for your individual needs.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

5 Teas to Grow in Your Garden This Summer

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

Each season has its gifts and the greatest gift of Summer is that the longer, warmer days encourage us to be more active, social and to spend more time outdoors.

But like anything, this Fire energy that keeps us active must be balanced in order to prevent it from becoming pathological (learn more about Fire energy here and here). 

Since summertime is inherently warmer, it's important to harmonize this heat with more cooling foods and drinks. 

*These 5 non-caffeinated teas will not only help you stay cool and hydrated during the hot Summer days, but they're also packed with extraordinary benefits to support your health year round.

Each one can easily be grown in a small pot right in your garden or balcony then dried or steeped fresh in hot water to make a delicious cooling tea.

 

1. Peppermint 

Peppermint is one of the most popular herbs used to make tea.

Peppermint is one of the most popular herbs used to make tea.

Also known as Mentha piperita, Peppermint is one of the most popular and rapidly growing herbs in the world.

The menthol in Peppermint creates both a cooling flavor and effect to help with fever and inflammation.

Peppermint helps reduce inflammation and improves digestion. It's one of the most common oils and teas used to treat gastrointestinal issues including bloating, cramping, constipation, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 

Peppermint tea is also antispasmodic, so it helps to treat vomiting and nausea as well as respiratory conditions that may be present during a cold or flu.

In Chinese Medicine, Peppermint is one of the most important herbs to regulate Liver Qi which can manifest as agitation, irritability and PMS. It's also commonly used to clear Wind Heat with symptoms that include headache, fever, nasal congestion, dry cough, as well as sore eyes and throat.

Besides alleviating symptoms, Peppermint tea protects against bacteria and can boost immune function. Its menthol flavor helps remove bad breath and its antibacterial properties kill the germs that can lead to halitosis.

 

2. Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm grows abundantly in my mother's backyard.

Lemon Balm grows abundantly in my mother's backyard.

Lemon Balm, or Melissa officinalis,  is both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. In addition to its antioxidant benefits, Lemon Balm can reduce chronic inflammation, help protect against disease and relieve pain. 

Studies have shown that both Lemon Balm essential oil and extract can support the treatment of diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels and reducing oxidative stress related to diabetes.

Lemon Balm is my favorite herbal tea for anxiety and insomnia.

Lemon Balm can help relax the nervous system, supporting improved mood and better sleep. You'll notice how light your heart feels after drinking a cup of Lemon Balm tea.

From a Chinese medical point of view, Lemon Balm clears Liver and Heart Fire, both of which can cause the emotions to flare up. By clearing this Fire, Lemon Balm calms the spirit, known as the shen. Lemon Balm essential oil can help relax and open the chest as well as descend Stomach Qi to alleviate vomiting, belching, morning sickness, vomiting, and food stasis.

Lemon Balm essential oil (also known as Melissa) is also helpful for reducing PMS symptoms and for treating the herpes virus when used topically during an outbreak and to increase time between outbreaks.

Like many of the other teas on this list, Lemon Balm is beneficial as a digestive aid.

We love to grow Lemon Verbena in our backyard. The gorgeous leaves can be dried or steeped freshly into hot water to make a soothing herbal tea.

We love to grow Lemon Verbena in our backyard. The gorgeous leaves can be dried or steeped freshly into hot water to make a soothing herbal tea.

3. Lemon Verbena

Lemon Verbena is one of my favorite plants that grows right in our backyard.

Scientifically known as Aloysia citrodora, Lemon Verbena is a perennial shrub that has a strong lemony scent when touched. The leaves can be dried then steeped to support metabolic processes.

Packed with antioxidants, this tea can help reduce inflammation and anxiety through its effects in hormonal balancing. It's also been shown to reduce oxidative stress levels leading to stronger immune function.

Lemon Verbena is a great digestive aid that also clears phlegm and dampness, helping to reduce bacteria as well as congestion.

 

4. Lemon Peel

Lemon Peel, or lemon zest, can be steeped in hot water to make a cooling tea. It contains a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin A and potassium, and is more nutrient dense than lemon fruit and juice.

Lemon Peel also contains high amounts of fiber so it can help prevent and treat constipation.

Lemon Peel makes an easy and healthy homemade tea that's packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Lemon Peel makes an easy and healthy homemade tea that's packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

This tea cools the Liver which can help alleviate irritability, anger and even allergies.

With its high content of calcium, lemon peel supports healthy teeth, hair and nails. Its antimicrobial properties ward off a host of bacteria.

 

5. Chamomile

Chamomile, also known as Martricaria Chamomilla, is an annual plant with white flowers that's commonly used in traditional medicine for anxiety, insomnia and digestive disorders including heartburn, nausea and vomiting.

Chamomile is rich in antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory and is also cooling for the Liver.

Steaming Chamomile extract and breathing in the steam can be effective to treat common cold symptoms.

A recent extensive study published in Molecular Medicine Reports describes the use of Chamomile in traditional medicine with regard to evaluating its curative and preventive properties. The study explains that the flowers of Chamomile contain 1–2% volatile oils that possess anti-inflammatory properties.

The authors also discuss the anticancer properties of Chamomile, noting that preclinical models of skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancer have shown promising growth inhibitory effects.

Chamomile is cooling and can have a calming effect on both the nervous system and gastrointestinal system. Studies in preclinical models suggest that Chamomile inhibits Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that can contribute to stomach ulcers. Chamomile is believed to be helpful in reducing smooth muscle spasms associated with various gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders.**

From a Chinese medical point of view, Chamomile is especially effective to regulate Liver Qi for symptoms such as headaches, anger outbursts, intercostal distention, muscle cramps and spasms, dysmenorrhea, and PMS. It also helps clear Liver Fire that can be caused by excessive emotions, especially Liver Fire that invades the Spleen and Stomach causing epigastric burning and reflux that's aggravated by stress, and even ulcers.

Chamomile's sedative effect helps calm anxiety and hyperactivity, and makes it a great sleep aid.

The efficacy of Chamomile is amplified as an essential oil though these benefits can be experienced to an extent by drinking the tea.

Chamomile is a flower that can be dried and steeped in hot water to make a cooling, calming tea.

Chamomile is a flower that can be dried and steeped in hot water to make a cooling, calming tea.

*Please note: this article is for educational purposes only. Please consult your healthcare practitioner to determine what foods and drinks are suitable for your condition. 

** Srivastava, J., Shankar, E. and Gupta, S. Chamomile: A Herbal Medicine fo the Past with Bright Future. Molecular Medicine Report. 2010 Nov 1; 3(6): 895-901.

 

Want to know how to
heal yourself with food?

Learn to use Classical Chinese Dietetics to create your custom nutrition plan so you can let go of overwhelm with food for good. Join the waitlist to get free insights & be the first to know when enrollment opens for my one-of-a-kind course.

 

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

6 Tips to Have Your Healthiest Summer Yet

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. and Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Each season is inherently associated with an element that grows stronger during its season. One of the most important ways to maintain your health throughout the year is to understand the various associations and learn how to balance these energies from season to season.

The Fire energy grows strong as we transition into Summer. 

Fire is associated with creativity, inspiration, connection, and gives us the ability to be present in our lives. When out of balance, Fire energy leads to inflammation, fatigue, burnout and aging (learn more here).

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6 Tips to Help You Stay Cool and Balanced Throughout the Season

1) Stay hydrated: a good general tip is to drink 1/2 of your weight in ounces of water, i.e. if you weigh 150 pounds, try to drink 75 ounces of water per day. Click here to learn what you need to do to stay hydrated (not just drink more water!).

2) Eat cooling foods such as celery, watermelon and cucumbers and cooling teas such as peppermint, chamomile, lemon verbena, and green tea that are especially therapeutic on days when the weather is warmer. 

3) Avoid eating too much fruit. Summer fruits are hydrating and make wonderful Summer treats. Just be sure to eat them - like anything - in moderation. Too much sweet fruit can create dampness and lead to more heat and inflammation in the body. Dampness and phlegm negatively impacts the digestive system and leads to fatigue and weight gain. Keep a healthy balance of cooked and raw foods in your diet and stay lighter with your meals in the warmer months. 

4) Exercise early in the day: Do high activity exercise first thing in the morning when the weather is cooler. You can do more gentle exercises in the evening. Cooling practices such as Qi Gong and Yin Yoga are excellent ways to calm the mind and counter the heat of the season.

5) Spend more time outdoors, but don't forget your internal cultivation. Mangano Calcite, our Summer balancing stone (see below), can provide support.

6) Play more: have fun, open your Heart, and allow the playful energy of this warm season to weave through all aspects of your life!

 

Summer Balancing Stone: Mangano Calcite

Mangano Calcite is an excellent stone to cool and calm the heart and mind.

Mangano Calcite is an excellent stone to cool and calm the heart and mind.

In general, calcites provide a fast acting cooling effect on the body, so they can be used for acute cases of excessive heat, or Fire.

Mangano Calcite calms a nervous heart and temperamental mind. 

This stone clears heat that can cause agitation and high blood pressure, allowing for greater clarity and focus. 

The pink color of Mangano Calcite comes from the mineral manganese which influences balanced function in the brain and the entire nervous system, especially in regards to inducing a relaxation effect on the motor nerves that control muscle function. 

Signs for using a manganese stone such as Mangano Calcite include an acute period of impatience, anger, quarrel, anxiety, heart palpitations and general nervousness.

Mangano Calcite is an important stone to strengthen Heart Qi and move Heart Blood to treat cardiac insufficiency and shortness of breath.

Among the calcites, Mangano Calcite is the most appropriate for intentional work. It can be taped in the depression under the ball of the foot at Kidney 1 or at the tailbone to ground your energy during Qi Gong practice. 

Even when used topically on acupuncture points or simply held in the hand or on the center of the chest, the vibration of Mangano Calcite is quite potent to quickly induce relaxation and calmness in the body and mind.

You can experiment with the power of Mangano Calcite if you ever experience an acute bout of anxiety or anger. It's likely you'll notice it help quickly cool your temper and calm your mind.

Never feel overwhelmed by what to eat again.

Join the waitlist for our one-of-a-kind-nutrition course.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

Spring Cleaning for Your Body and Mind

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

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As we move deeper into the Spring season, you may feel the urge to clean up and create more space in your environment and life.

Every year our hometown hosts a Spring Cleanup Campaign that gives us the opportunity to clear out any old items and waste that’s accumulated over the past year. It’s incredible how much we unconsciously accumulate and it’s no wonder our minds often feel so cluttered as well.

Your outer world is a direct reflection of your inner world, so the more clear and open you can make your environment, the more clarity you’ll feel inside.

Last year I became inspired to tidy up using the KonMari Method and it was amazingly powerful in helping us reduce - and keep away - so much clutter. KonMari founder, Marie Kondo, recommends that you go through all of your belongings and only keep the items that 'spark joy.' In other words, only keep what makes you truly feel happy, whether it’s a suit, a necklace or a notepad.

The idea of surrounding ourselves only with things that “spark joy” has made a tremendous impact on my and Salvador's personal life and continues to enhance the beauty of our sacred spaces at home and in our clinic. It also has created space for each of us to find more ways to practice and share self-cultivation and self-care.

Marie Kondo herself states that “when your room is clean and uncluttered, you have no choice but to examine your inner state.”

As you tidy up your external space, you may feel the need to clear your internal space - both body and mind - as well.

Since Springtime relates to the Liver, this is the ideal time of year to do a Liver cleanse.

Severe seasonal allergies, fatigue, low immunity and irritability can all be indicators of the accumulation of toxins in the body. 

You can start with a simple dietary cleanse avoiding all sugar, coffee, alcohol, gluten, dairy and soy products. Make sure to stay hydrated and eat lots of leafy green vegetables, fresh fish, olive oil, small beans such as adzuki or lentils, and non-gluten grains, including millet, brown rice and buckwheat. 

Allergic reactions come from an over-stimulated histamine response by the body and it is the role of the liver to detox these histamines from the blood. If the liver is too congested with toxicity, this function will decline leading to increased allergic reactions and a vicious cycle develops. To address excessive heat (toxicity) in the liver, antioxidant supplements that support liver detoxification are important at this time. These include milk thistle and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine to boost cellular glutathione levels, as well as alpha-lipoic acid. Reishi mushroom is another important single herb remedy that can be used at this time as it modulates both an under-active or over-active immune response to support both allergy or low immunity issues. To help modulate the over-activation of histamine release during the Spring or anytime you find yourself having increased allergies or inflammation, bioflavanoids such as quercetin are very beneficial as well.

In addition, keeping the flow of Qi circulating smoothly is an important aspect to maintaining a healthy liver. Committing to a regular exercise routine that doesn't over-stimulate the body is most suitable for this purpose. Yoga and Qi Gong are most supportive for circulating Qi without the side-effect of depleting your Liver's blood storage which occurs with more stimulating exercise that can burn-out an exhausted body. Furthermore, Meditation practice will calm your mind and body, as well as cool the heat in the Liver therefore reducing the irritability you may tend to feel during this season.

Clearing your body of toxins helps you cultivate greater clarity and a deeper connection to your intuition so that you can more easily harness your goals and desires.

Cleaning and clearing fosters renewal and rebirth and can have profound effects on your overall health and life.
 

Chiastolite: The Perfect Stone to Support Springtime Detoxification

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Chiastolite is a unique looking stone that has a cross in the center. The name derives from the Greek word chiastos meaning “cross marked.” In Chinese philosophy, the cross represents descension and ascension to make the connection between Heaven and Earth as we see in the Christian tradition as well. Wearing or holding Chiastolite can help you become more grounded as you connect with the spiritual aspects of life.

Since it contains lithium, Chiastolite can calm the emotions and help the Heart and Kidney connect so you feel on purpose in your life. It's therefore a very useful stone to use during meditation.

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Chiastolite is also a powerful protective stone that wards off negative energy and repels negativity rather than absorbs it.

In stone medicine, Chiastolite is very important to alkalize the body to reduce excess heat causing inflammation especially in the Liver.

Since Spring is the time for cleansing the Liver, Chiastolite can be taken in an elixir for a month or two for detoxification.

Chiastolite also contains chromium which makes it very beneficial for people with Syndrome X symptoms of high blood sugar, high cholesterol and hypertension as it can cleanse and break up blood stagnation in the arteries.

Springtime is also the windy season and in regards to Spring's relationship to the Wood element, symptoms of Wind can be experienced during this time.

Wind symptoms during springtime are related to allergies and can involve redness, itching, watery eyes, and sneezing.

Wind also irritates the nerves causing numbness and tingling, radiating pain, as well as irritability, nervousness, twitching, and tics. In Chinese Medicine, these neurological patterns are called Wind Bi, meaning obstruction due to Wind. Chiastolite is one of the most important stones to help reduce Wind Bi, or any problem related to hypersensitivity of the nerves such as sciatica or neuropathy with numbness and tingling in the arms, hands or legs as well as Wind-Bi in the face including conditions like Bell's Palsy and trigeminal neuralgia.

Chiastolite can be taped directly on the skin over the problem areas or acupuncture points related to these conditions. It can also be used as a massage wand to scrape along broad regions affected by the Wind Bi. Scraping massage with Chiastollite helps move the blood to release the Wind and its related symptoms.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

How to Blossom During Springtime

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

The three months of the Spring season bring rebirth and renewal. Spring is a time of change as we transition from Winter, the most Yin or quiet season, to the first Yang or active season of the year. This is the time for new beginnings both in nature and within our personal lives.

While we may have set our intentions for this year after the holidays, Spring is really the ideal time to make the effort to manifest these intentions into reality.

The fertility, abundance and growth in nature reflects the potential that we each have during this season.

To maximize your ability to utilize the energy of springtime, it's essential to balance the Wood element and the Liver and Gallbladder systems that are associated with this season.

According to Chinese Medicine, the Wood element relates to growth, decisiveness and action.

When in balance, Wood provides the energy to be brave, focused, driven and decisive. Excess in the Wood energy on the other hand can cause one to become controlling, angry, and combative. On the other hand, if you feel that you have no spring in your step this time of year this can reflect a Wood deficiency possibly arising from a lack of rest to nourish the Kidneys during Winter months.

The Liver is the primary organ associated with springtime. It stores blood and is in charge of smoothing the flow of Qi or energy throughout the whole body. Because the Liver also smoothes the emotions, if it is imbalanced the Qi stagnation that results can manifest as feelings of stress, irritability and anger. 

As Spring arises, the Liver energy becomes more active. This activity can however cause the Liver to generate heat and Wind, which develop into typical allergy symptoms such as itchy, red eyes, sneezing, and sore throat. 

Since the Liver is in charge of detoxification, during springtime it's especially important to be cautious of taking in substances that burden the Liver’s function, such as over the counter medications, alcohol and drugs. 

As the Wood element and the associated Liver and Gallbladder systems become active both within us and in nature, it's important to balance their energy so we can flourish throughout the season. Here are 5 ways to cultivate this balance:

  1. Eat a Wood balancing diet replete with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, artichokes, olives, and berries.

  2. Reduce or avoid coffee, alcohol and spicy foods as they can aggravate the Liver thus worsening allergies and the overall irritability and restlessness that most of us experience during this seasonal transition.

  3. Drink herbal teas such as Chrysanthemum, Chamomile, Dandelion and Nettle Leaf to cool the Liver, especially if you tend to experience allergies at this time of year.

  4. Be more active - exercise daily to keep the Liver Qi moving smoothly. Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Ji are especially helpful as the connection to breathing with these types of exercises helps strengthen the Lungs and open the diaphragm to further help prevent Liver Qi stagnation.

  5. Get Acupuncture treatment to help cool the Liver and move the stagnation that can stir up allergies, irritability and anger.

With its vital energy and beauty, this abundant, creative season supports us to blossom by starting new projects and sharing our unique gifts and talents.

 

Want to know how to

heal yourself with food?

Learn to use Classical Chinese Dietetics to create your custom nutrition plan so you can let go of overwhelm with food for good. Join the waitlist to get free insights & be the first to know when enrollment opens for my one-of-a-kind course.

 

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

The Doyo Period - 9 Tips to Support Your Health During Each Seasonal Transition

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. and Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

The transitional period between each seasonal change is a very important time to support the health of your body and mind. In Five Element theory, this period is called Doyo and relates to the Earth energy, which encompasses the Spleen and Stomach organ systems.

According to Chapter 29 of the Classical Chinese Medicine text Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen: “The spleen, that is the soil. It governs the center. Throughout the four seasons it tends the four depots. In each [season] it is entrusted with government for eighteen days.”

This classical text is essentially telling us that this 18 day period at the end of each season corresponds to the Spleen’s energy and since it is an Earth element organ, it needs to be given extra care and support during this transitional time. Furthermore, the Earth organs, which include the Stomach and Pancreas as well, are more vulnerable to imbalance and disease at this time. With that said, paying extra attention to our diet and eating habits is key to maintaining one’s overall health during this transitional period between seasons.

People who already have problems in their Earth element need to take extra care as cases such as diabetes, ulcers and gastrointestinal issues in general can all worsen during this time if their lifestyle is not supported.

During the Doyo period in particular it's important to eat meals at regular times and without distractions. Staying away from too much sweet food and other damp inducing foods like dairy and fried foods is also important to keep the Spleen and Stomach energies in a healthy balance.

The Spleen as the largest lymphatic organ in the body indicates this is a good time for acupuncture and massage to support lymphatic circulation. If you only get these treatments a few times a year, it's best to do them during the Doyo periods.

The Spleen is an especially important system as it supports immunity during the seasonal transition.

In addition, the Spleen is an organ that assists in the transformation of food into energy and thoughts into purpose, so a healthy Spleen will support you to stay focused on your goals and be able to transform your dreams into reality.

Weakness in the Spleen can result in problems with digestion and elimination and cause the body to accumulate dampness. Dampness is a fungal terrain, often resulting from a diet heavy in carbohydrates, fried foods, dairy and sugar (even in the form of fruits).  A fungal terrain can also develop from using various drugs such as antibiotics, sulfa drugs, chemotherapy, birth control pills, corticosteroids, antacids and acid blocking medications.

Dampness is reflected in our lives through the feeling of being stuck or lacking clarity.  Dampness is also associated with psychological imbalances such as Obsessive Compulsiveness Disorder and hoarding.

The Earth element organs thrive on a simple diet based on unprocessed foods, a calm mind, and a regular daily rhythm with meals, exercise and rest.  

Here are 9 tips to support you to have greater clarity and a healthier lifestyle during the Doyo Period of every seasonal change:

  1. Take time to cook and be present during your meals. Put away your cell phone, turn off the TV and just be - with your meal and people with whom you enjoy spending time.

  2. Eat meals at regular times and without distractions. Avoid eating under stress and eating on the run or while distracted.

  3. Integrate more root vegetables into your diet to nourish your Earth. Root veggies such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and rutabaga also help anchor your body's energy and calm your mind.

  4. Start to integrate more cooked leafy green vegetables to support the Liver and the Wood element, which are associated with the Spring season

  5. Reduce or avoid coffee, alcohol and refined sugars. All of these substances aggravate the Liver, so this is especially important during the transition to the Liver (Wood) season of Spring.

  6. Take enzymes daily. Enzymes taken with meals will help break down food and prevent stagnation and heat accumulation in the Stomach. Along with a balanced probiotic supplement, enzymes are essential for your gut health, which is the core of your immune function and brain health. Not sure what to take? Call us at 408-244-8565 or stop in and pick up a bottle of our favorite probiotics and enzymes.

  7. Exercise to strengthen your Earth. Calming exercises such as Yoga and Qi Gong are especially important to integrate into your routine. Join us for weekly Qi Gong classes Mondays at 11:45am.

  8. Take more time to meditate or just sit quietly to calm your mind. The imbalanced emotion of Earth is worry, so the more you can quiet your mind the less stress this system will take on.

  9. Get Acupuncture treatment. This is the ideal time to support your core Earth energy and immunity with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. (If you're in our area, you can schedule yourself online here).

Never feel overwhelmed by what to eat again.

Join the waitlist for our one-of-a-kind-nutrition course.

Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Dr. Moafi offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.