3 Foods to Strengthen Your Lungs

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

Your lungs play an important role in your immune system. As part of the respiratory system, they provide a connection between your external and internal worlds through the breath. Inhalation draws in fresh oxygen and Qi, or energy, while exhalation helps you let go of toxins. 

The Lungs' natural movement is to disperse and descend Qi.

The Lungs disperse, or spread, the body fluids as well as the Wei Qi, the defensive Qi that runs on the surface of the skin to protect you during the day and travels into the body to help you sleep at night. 

This ensures that Wei Qi is equally distributed under the skin and to the muscles to warm and moisten the skin, allowing for a normal amount of sweating, and to protect the body from external pathogens that can cause colds, flus and skin problems (see more about this in a previous article).

As the uppermost organ, the Lungs also descend Qi to communicate with the Kidneys, which are said to 'grasp' the Qi of the Lungs. This allows for deep breathing. 

The Lungs also direct body fluids downward to Kidneys and Bladder. Dysfunction in the communication between the Lungs and Kidneys can result in wheezing and asthma or accumulation of fluids either from the failure of the Lungs to descend the Qi or weakness in the Kidneys that prevent the grasping of the Lung Qi.

The Lungs also have an important relationship with the Large Intestine. The descension of Lung Qi stimulates peristalsis to support detoxification through the colon.

While breathing exercises and regular movement practices like Yoga and Qi Gong certainly help to support your Lung Qi, there are also some key foods that can strengthen your Lungs and support your immune system overall.

Since the pathological factor that most commonly affects your Lungs is dryness (which is also the predominant factor during the Fall season) it’s important to stay hydrated and integrate three groups of foods that support the Lungs: fruits, nuts and root vegetables.

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#1 Fruit

According to Chinese Medicine, all fruits support the Lungs.

Compact fruits such as pears, apples, Asian pears, and persimmons are most beneficial to nourish your Lungs. These fruits moisten Lung Yin to stop a dry cough and increase hydration during the dry season.

Eating apple-pear stew (cut one apple, one pear and simmer slowly on low heat - no water needed!) can help to moisten a dry cough. And 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.

Though fruits are great hydrating foods, they should be consumed in moderation as their sweet nature can create phlegm and congest the Lungs. Citrus in particular, especially in the form of juice, is overly concentrated in sugar and can cause phlegm or mucus to develop, weakening your Lung Qi.

#2 Nuts

Like fruits, all nuts have an affinity with the Lungs. The nuts that help support Lung Qi in particular are pine nuts and sweet almonds. Walnuts help strengthen the Kidneys to grasp the Qi of the Lungs. Walnuts therefore are considered an important food for conditions like asthma with shortness of breath.

The only caution is to eat nuts in moderation and to avoid them if you have skin problems as nuts can generally hyper activate your Wei Qi, or defensive Qi, and lead to allergies, acne and skin irritation.

The damp or fungal nature of nuts also warrant caution. Roasting nuts reduces shelf life by causing the oils to more quickly turn rancid. It’s therefore best to purchase raw nuts and toast or soak them yourself to make them easier to digest. Walnuts and almonds are especially nice to eat when soaked overnight.

#3 Root Vegetables & Tubers

Root vegetables not only support your Lungs’ ability to descend Qi, but they also help fortify your digestive system by fortifying your Spleen and Stomach.

Root vegetables that are high in beta carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A (an important vitamin for immune health as well as the health of your hair, skin and nails) are especially beneficial to strengthen the Lungs. These include carrots, beets and sweet potatoes.

Tubers, including parsnips, rutabaga and daikon also help the Lungs descend Qi to support peristalsis. Rutabaga and daikon are also known for their ability to break up stagnation and clear fire toxins through the colon. In addition, turnips help to break up phlegm and are great to strengthen the Lungs and help clear a cough with mucous.

Conclusion

While these foods can generally support the health of your Lungs, this list is certainly not exhaustive and not all of the foods here may be beneficial to everyone. Nutrition is highly personalized, so if you want more specific recommendations, you can work with us or a trusted practitioner.

Remember that Nutrition = Food + Digestion so it’s important to remember that food is only beneficial when it’s properly digested so it’s always essential to support your digestive system to support healthy nutrition.

If you’re interested in learning about Classical Chinese nutrition in greater depth, you can learn more and join the waitlist for my upcoming program.

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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 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. 

The Purpose of Your Pain—3 Important lessons

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

We all feel pain in some way or another. Whether it’s an injury or a catastrophic life change, suffering seems inherent to being human.

And yet so much of our suffering is by choice.

We stress about things we can’t control or worry about a future we can’t see or predict.

On a physical level, we get injured when we’re not being gentle with ourselves or if we need to slow down.

The challenges in the body often reflect what’s happening in the mind. We harbor years-long resentment that eventually manifests in the body as a life threatening illness or disease. We carry the wounds of our past on our shoulders, creating neck pain and tension and even inhibiting physical mobility. We fear our future and find that our lower back is gripping, tight and even loses stability.

So why do we allow ourselves to suffer so much pain?

As our consciousness expands, the hope is that while the struggles of life may continue, we can mitigate or even eliminate our experience of suffering. And while I realize it’s not so easy to just let go of suffering, Chinese Medicine offers some invaluable tools that can help you understand and find purpose through your pain.

Pain has a purpose and the potential to awaken a consciousness that eventually moves you to a greater sense of peace.

Here are three important lessons we can all learn when we experience pain.

Lesson #1: Pain Awakens You to the Present Moment

A couple Saturdays ago, I asked my husband to take our dog out so I could have some downtime alone at home. I looked forward to having the morning on my own before I had to teach a private yoga class.

Rather than savor the time and take things slowly, I found myself rushing through my yoga practice so I could get through a long list of to do’s before the rest of my family returned home.

As I practiced outside, I focused on all the things that needed to be done in our garden. And since time was limited, I shifted to a faster, more active practice. As I began to work with more intensive exercises (while simultaneously thinking about what I needed to do next), I heard a pop in my lower back…then pain that began to radiate into my left hip.

While I began to move more slowly and finally be more present, I didn’t stop. My body still warm, I continued with some work around the the house before leaving to teach a private yoga class. By the end of the session, I felt the pain worsen.

”As long as I listen and be with this, it’ll go away,” I thought. Not so fast, unfortunately.

By the time I got home, the pain moved quickly from mild to sharp and by the end of the afternoon I literally couldn’t walk.

The shock left me more present than I had been all day, and perhaps longer.

In starting the day off hurried trying to get everything done, I spent that weekend in bed unable to get anything done and hardly able to move - or sleep - from the pain.

I realized just how out of the present moment I was in an effort to achieve rather than simply be.

Luckily, my husband is a master of his craft and with daily Acupuncture, he helped get me walking within a couple days and teaching comfortable by the following week. But it was a humbling experience to say the least.

As a yoga teacher and acupuncturist you’d think I’d know better, but as a human I’d allowed my mind to override and disempower my body.

Sometimes it takes an injury or severe pain to wake us up more fully to the present moment.

But if you hear the call to be more present, it’s likely that the pain will abate sooner than later.

Lesson #2: Pain Drives You Deeper into Your Body

When I teach Yin Yoga, I often teach the concept of playing your edge. This means going into a stretch deeply enough that it challenges you without compromising your ability to breathe deeply while you hold the posture.

So too in life, it’s important to play your edge in order to grow.

In other words, you want to do things that challenge you but don’t cause you suffering.

Work on projects, take up hobbies, but avoid pushing anything you do to the point of pain.

We’re such a driven society that we often feel that when we want to do something, we need to push ourselves to the point of complete exhaustion. Oftentimes your body will stop you as you’re starting to reach that point by creating physical pain.

This results because of an imbalance of Yin and Yang—in this case a predominance of Yang.

The Yin aspect of your body comprises your fluids and blood, while the Yang is associated with your Qi, or energy.

Yang is active and assertive, Yin is more quiet and passive. And while both aspects coexist and are interdependent, an excess of either can lead to pathology.

Excessive exertion causes a predominance of Yang, which can damage the Yin fluids and cause injury over time.

That’s why self-care must be done for the purpose of prevention and not just as a response to injury, pain or discomfort.

When you take care of yourself, you’re able to hear your body when it’s fatigued or uncomfortable—and shift to slow yourself down before it’s too late.

Your body has an innate wisdom. Cultivating your mind-body-breath connection through practices like Yoga and Qi Gong helps keep you attuned to this wisdom and know when it’s necessary to make a shift.

Lesson #3: Pain Instigates an Exploration & Understanding of Your Mind

The human mind can be stubborn and unfocused, especially if it’s exhausted or lacks direction.

However, it’s important to remember that you are not your mind. By learning to temper and control your mind, you can use it to heal your body more quickly.

The challenge with the mind is that it’s difficult to change, which is why it’s important to train the body first.

Your body is the most powerful vehicle you have to drive change in your mind, and life.

This is why practices like meditation that focus on the mind - without first cultivating your body - can cause you to become more disembodied and lead to mental instability.

On the other hand, embodiment practices like Yoga and Qi Gong anchor you into your physical body, and harness the breath to bring you into a state of presence.

Connecting your body and breath can transform your experience, and alleviate much of the suffering that’s perpetuated by your mind.

Wisdom resides in your body — your gut feeling is a feeling, after all.

The mind is what distracts you from that inner wisdom, leading you out of the present moment to focus instead on a narrative about the past, what you ‘should’ be doing or what could come of the future.

When your mind is quiet, you can see things more clearly for what they are rather than lead with fear or resistance.

When your mind is quiet, you are fully present in the moment, without judgment.

When your mind is quiet, you can fully embrace your experience for what it is and allow the lessons that arise out of that experience find their way to you.

To quiet your mind completely, you must be fully embodied.

It often takes walking along a path of pain and suffering to get to the quietude.

Nevertheless, that pain has value and if you listen for the lessons, then you can more quickly move through the pain and find greater ease in your life.

* Ready for relief? Acupuncture can help. Not only does it support your embodiment, but it’s also one of the most effective forms of pain management.

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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 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 at www.setarehmoafi.com.

Finding It Difficult to Feel Gratitude? Here's How Working With the Nine Palaces Can Help: Part 2 - Stone Medicine

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

The Nine Palaces relate to areas that we all seek to find a sense of peace and completion in our lives. The ancient system of Stone Medicine can help you have support in any of these areas you find challenging to cultivate peace and gratitude.

The Nine Palaces and Five Elements

The Nine Palaces of life are:

1. Health

2. Wealth (also called the Abundance Palace)

3. Prosperity (also called the Fame Palace)

4. Relationship (Love)

5. Children/Creativity

6. Career

7. Global (Travel & Adventure)

8. Knowledge (Wisdom)

9. Home

Each of the Nine Palaces correspond to a particular Five Element energy. To learn more about each palace and its Five Element correspondence, you can read Part 1 of this series.

My Personal Journey With Stone Medicine

When I first heard about Stone Medicine I thought it was rather ridiculous and not practical for my life or clinical practice as an Acupuncturist and Herbalist.

My interest and openness grew however when I was introduced to the history and clinical applications of this ancient form of Chinese Medicine by our teacher and 88th generation Daoist Master, Dr. Jeffrey Yuen. Following this introduction, I started to play around with the knowledge I gathered in the use of stones for some health challenges my family and I had.

I became amazed by the miraculous healing experiences I witnessed.

Needless to say, from that time on, my curiosity on the use of stones for healing grew and I began to submerge myself in learning about this esoteric yet potent form of medicine.

Historically, in Classical Chinese Medicine, stones were considered the most powerful form of herbal medicine as they have the most permanent effect on one’s healing.

With this said, I’ve gained not only a tremendous amount of respect for stone medicine, but a high level of reverence for the healing Spirit of these amazing pieces of nature.

Below I discuss how some common healing stones have been used historically to enhance these different areas we call the Nine Palaces to help you find a sense of peace and gratitude where you may be now struggling in your life.

Stone Talismans to Support You to Find Completion in the Nine Palaces

Use green stones that relate to the Wood element to increase a sense of well-being and give you support in the First Palace of Health. Green Jade and Green Aventurine can be held during meditation (15 minutes 3-4x/day) or worn daily as jewelry such as a necklace or bracelet (men wear on left wrist, women on right wrist) to support your health and well-being.

Sunstone is another important stone to support your Health Palace and although it isn’t green, its glistening orange color brings the power of the sun to brighten your day and help lift you out of the doldrums of negativity. It’s also a stone high in iron so it can help increase your Qi and immunity. So if you tend to feel fatigued or have a sullen and somber mood, keep a piece of Sunstone nearby or in your pocket!

Second is the Palace of Wealth & Abundance. The main stone to help you feel a sense of completion in your Wealth Palace is Lapis. Lapis strengthens your Liver blood to support your Wood energy and help you feel financially abundant. It’s a common stone used in jewelry and small specimens can be held or placed in your home to attract resources into your life as well. This can especially be supportive for women during their menstrual cycles when losing blood can leave them feeling empty with a sense of lack in their lives.

A beautiful blue-green Chrysocolla sphere

Another blood building stone is Chrysocolla, which is especially useful if you’re feeling irritable or angry about your circumstances related to this palace. Chrysocolla is a beautiful blue-green stone that can be held for emotional support, worn as jewelry or placed in your home to spread its energy throughout your environment.

The Third Palace is about Prosperity and Fame. Fame is about feeling recognized and acknowledged in your life while Prosperity is about feeling you have enough to share with others. Relating to the element of Fire, both of these attributes can be supported by the beautiful Amethyst crystal. Amethyst can be placed in any area of your home to accentuate the 9 Palaces and is also a common jewelry stone worn as earrings, pendants, rings, and bracelets. Another stone that is popular as jewelry to help activate this Fire based palace is Labradorite. Labradorite is a powerful talisman to gather your Yang Qi so it can vibrantly shine outward and help you attract attention and recognition. Labradorite is easily found as large specimens which can be used to help radiate vibrant energy into your work space or home.

The Fourth Palace is about Relationships and Love. If you feel challenged in terms of relationships and having enough love in your life, then supporting your Fire element with a stone talisman can support you to find peace and completion in these areas. Morganite is a very powerful stone used to attract love into your life in terms of a partnership. Rose Quartz is another popular stone that is used.

Morganite is commonly worn as jewelry so if you’re trying to establish a healthy, loving relationship, you might try wearing a bracelet, ring or necklace that contains Morganite. A small sphere of Rose Quartz on the other hand will help spread the vibration of love throughout your home. I recommend keeping a Rose Quartz crystal in your bedroom if you’re looking to attract a romantic relationship.

The Fifth Palace of Children and Creativity is also supported by Rose Quartz which is said to enhance fertility. Rose Quartz supports creativity by warming your Yang Qi to act on those creative impulses held within your heart. Another popular stone that makes beautiful jewelry to support fertility is Fire Opal. Wear it daily if you are trying to conceive a child.

Other stones that can be placed in your home to help activate the Metal element and help birth those creative ideas you’ve long held inside are Fluorite, Celestite and Gold or Silver Sheen Obsidian which can be found as lovely specimens that act as powerful intentional talismans. A system of Temple Feng Shui suggests placing these stones in the Northwest part of your home to support you in the palace of Creativity.

The Sixth Palace is your Palace of Career. Career relates to the Water Element and the colors blue and black. Dark Grey Moonstone is a lovely stone that can be worn as jewelry to support you if you’re having career challenges. Black Onyx is another common jewelry stone that can strengthen your Water energy and support you in your career.

Sugilite is one of the most powerful of all stones and is said to support the healing of all diseases. Sugilite is a beautiful dark purple stone that is said to help connect your Heart and Kidneys so you can realize the career path that fits your destiny. Wear Sugilite as a necklace or pendant so it can touch the center of your chest to resonate with your heart center. You can also keep a piece close to you such as in your pocket and place a small specimen on your nightstand to help you find clarity if you are unsure about the path to take in terms of your career.

Turquoise is a popular stone that can be worn for protection during travel.

The Seventh Palace relates to Travel, Adventure and Global Awareness. The popular stone used to help you safely navigate the globe in search of adventurous experiences is Turquoise, a very common stone used in jewelry.

The Eighth Palace of Knowledge and Wisdom relates to both the Water and Earth Elements. Black Obsidian is the stone that helps you go within yourself and bring out your inner wisdom. Obsidian is essentially volcanic glass so it can help your inner wisdom erupt and come to the forefront of your awareness.

Knowledge on the other hand is about attracting information from outside yourself, and White Jade was the stone used historically to support education and worn by the ancient scholars.

And finally, we come to supporting the Ninth Palace of Home. Home is about reconnecting with the Divine. Meteorites which come from the outer realms of space (Heaven) are used for supporting this purpose. Moldavite is one such stone that is becoming a popular jewelry stone used to help connect with the realm of Spirit so you can find peace within yourself wherever you are in this moment of time.

In Summary

Using the power of stones to support the Elemental energies related to each of the Nine Palaces is a simple way to help you move through the challenges in any of these areas of your life.

Though you may at first find the idea of using stones as talismen a bit too esoteric and unfounded on scientific “truth”, if you open your mind and give it a try, you may awaken to the magical mystery of this ancient healing system as it supports you to find gratitude in all areas of your life.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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 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. 

Restore Movement to Restore Your Health

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

In Chinese Medicine, one of the fundamental ways to optimize the health of the body begins through restoring and normalizing the movement of energy within the body. 

This article will outline key zones of the body where energy flow can become bound up and why releasing these restricted areas is essential to normalizing body function in order to optimize health.

The Yin & Yang of Movement

As the basis of Chinese Medicine, the concepts of Yin and Yang are depicted as the dark and light divisions of a Tai Ji circle. 

Yin and Yang are two parts of the whole. Yin is the solid part relating to form and Yang is the non-solid part relating to function. Together, Yin and Yang create the material world of form and function. 

Philosophically, there is no separation of Yin and Yang in the living world as there is always Yang within Yin and Yin within Yang as can be seen in the tiniest atomic particle (Yin) which contains a tremendous amount of energy and power (Yang).

In this view, our body’s structure (the form) is seen as Yin, while the body’s function is Yang.

Qi, often translated as energy, is an aspect of Yang, and relates to function and movement. When there is proper Qi flow in the body, there is a normalization of movement within the body including the normal flow of Yin circulation which includes all the fluid substances.

Internal fluid circulations include such things as the vascular system and the movement of blood throughout the body, the secretion of glandular and organ fluids to support the many aspects of organ function and metabolism, and the distribution of lymphatic fluids to support healthy immune function and proper detoxification. 

These Yin fluid circulations occur because of the movement of the organ energies in relation to the Five elements.

Understanding Movement through the Five Element Energetic Vectors

In Chinese philosophy, the universe is a macrocosmic system made of elemental energies described as the Five Elements. Each of the Five Elements relate to a pair of organ systems and the movement of each of these elemental energies support its respective organs' ability to function.

When in balance these elemental energies all move within the body in a concerted manner to create harmonious function between the organ systems.  Ensuring that these energies move according to their nature is fundamental to keeping the body and mind healthy. 

The following Five Elemental energies support Qi flow throughout the body:

The Wood Element is related to the Liver and the Gallbladder organs. The Wood element energetically supports the ascension of energy, like a tree shooting up into the sky. In this way, the Liver organ supports sending blood into the head for nourishment and healthy function of the brain. The Gallbladder system is important to release the pressure and stagnation out of the brain, in other words, to detoxify the brain. 

The Fire Element is related to the Heart. Fire energy spreads upward and outward, similar to how a fire spreads in nature.  This Fire energy supports the spreading of circulation throughout the body, especially into the four limbs to bring warmth. If a person has cold hands and feet, this indicates that the Fire energy needs more support. On the other hand, when the Fire energy is too hot, the Heart and Mind will be overstimulated leading to a state of being anxious and mentally "scattered".

The Earth Element governs gathering and consolidating energy into the center of the body. In this way, Earth energy supports the Spleen and Stomach for proper digestion and elimination. Through the consolidation of energy into the center, energy then spirals upward and downward to support the transformation process attributed to these two organs. Specifically, the Spleen ascends energy extrapolated from food into the heart for the final production of blood (according to Chinese Medicine) and ascends fluids into the lungs and into the head so there is proper moisture for all the sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose and mouth) to function optimally. The Stomach on the other hand, descends the energy so the digested food can transport smoothly through the intestines on its way to being eliminated. 

The Metal Element governs the Lungs and Large Intestine to descend energy through the body. 

Essentially, the downward movement of Lung Qi (energy) supports peristalsis of the Large Intestine for bowel movements, and descends energy through the Bladder for urination. The Lungs also descend energy to support the release of blood during menstruation. The downward movement of energy, in general, is facilitated through deep respiration, hence the benefit of belly breathing for "getting out of our head" and reducing the over-ascension of energy in times of stress.

The Water Element relates to the Kidneys which is about the state of inertia, or stillness. Through the process of being still, we can recuperate our energy so we can then move outwardly into the world. When the Kidney energy is weak, the lumbar region often tightens up and restricts our ability to move. This is an innate response by the body in its effort to consolidate energy back into its core. Lumbar pain and stiffness, if not due to injury, is therefore seen as a symptom of weakness in the Water energy of the body.  An injury to the lumbar region will create weakness in the Kidney Water energy as well, especially when it is a chronic condition. 

The Four Rings

There are four circumferential regions in the body where excessive muscular tension and pressure develops thus inhibiting movement and the circulation of the Five Element vectors of Qi described above.

All of the organ and glandular systems reside within four cavities of the body divided by these four regions: the head, the thoracic, the abdominal and the pelvic cavities. 

An important part of evaluating a person’s physical functionality is through assessing the tightness around the four rings of tension that separate these regions anatomically. 

Each of these muscular rings of tension have the following anatomical associations:

1. The occipital, temporal-mandibular joint and hyoid bone

2. The clavicular region made up of the scalene muscles, sternocleidomastoid muscles and the trapezius muscles

3. The diaphragmatic region created by the diaphragm muscle

4. The pelvic region created by the muscular tension around the waist associated with the psoas, para-vertebral, quadratus lumborum and abdominal muscles.

Acupuncture treatment as well as practices like Yoga and Qi Gong can help release tension and restriction in the body's four rings.

When these regions hold abnormal tension, the increased pressure will impede movement in the related external structures as well as the organs that lie within these areas as well. This is how normal body function begins to decline both externally and internally.

It's essential to have freedom of movement in all four rings as chronic tension patterns can stay trapped in the body indefinitely until they are released.

A number of physical therapies as well as Yoga and Qi Gong exercises are especially effective to release these four rings. One of the primary therapies is Acupuncture.

The purpose of Acupuncture is to normalize Qi flow throughout the body both internally and externally. In this process of normalizing Qi flow, function and movement are restored.

As a result, Acupuncture also reduces and can resolve pain patterns, but this effect is often overlooked by the medical establishment. 

In fact, a common misunderstanding by Western medical science is that Acupuncture only temporarily numbs pain by blocking pain signals to the brain. In reality, Acupuncture restores function to allow the body to move more freely without pain. 

In the process of restoring functionality, the overall health of the body is restored as well. 

Conclusion

Abnormal or lack of movement within the body not only decreases function but it also impedes the normal detoxification processes imperative for health and vitality.

Freedom of movement is therefore necessary to restore healthy function throughout the body.

Healthy movement is induced and supported by manual therapies such as Acupuncture, physical therapy and bodywork, and can also be restored through gentle exercises such as Yoga and Qi Gong practices.

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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.

Is Your Liver Insulting Your Lungs?

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

Autumn is the season that’s related to the Lung energy and the Metal element. According to Chinese Medicine, the Lungs thrive on moisture and since dryness is predominant during Autumn, the Lung energy tends to be most vulnerable during this season.

Issues related to the Metal energy are therefore more likely to occur during this time of year. Metal is associated with the Lungs, Large Intestine, and skin so symptoms may manifest in the form of respiratory and skin infections and inflammatory flare-ups such as allergies, asthma, psoriasis and eczema. Furthermore, since the emotions of the Lungs are sadness and grief, these states may surface at this time as well.

As we all know and have experienced, Autumn is a dry season. We may notice this dryness manifest in our skin and in our sinuses. In Chinese Medicine, the Lungs like adequate moisture though not too moist with dampness or phlegm. If you notice your mouth and lips are drier at this time of year, it’s likely that your Lungs are as well and this dryness will weaken the Lungs’ function and make them predisposed to illness.

Another common complication during Autumn is that the Lungs' vulnerable energy makes them susceptible to “insult” by the Liver. This idea is based on the Five Element Theory of Chinese Medicine. 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 a weakness in the Metal energy, which is common during Autumn, the Wood energy can insult the Metal energy especially if the liver is overheated with toxicity.

If these patterns are occurring within your body or your life, it likely indicates that it’s a good time to do a Liver detoxification. 

Let’s take a look at how these patterns can manifest. 

Generally speaking, we do not suggest doing a Liver cleanse at all times of the year. It’s best to avoid cleansing during the cold Winter months because your body needs to maintain its warmth and not be subjected to the cooling effects of a cleanse. While it’s best to consult a healthcare practitioner before starting any cleanse, generally as long as the weather is relatively temperate in your area and your body is not feeling challenged by cold temperatures or feeling cold internally such as having cold hands and feet, a liver cleanse may be appropriate during the Fall. 

How To Identify if Your Liver is Insulting Your Lungs

One of the common signs of toxicity in the liver is tightness or discomfort in the flank or sides of the ribcage (not due to injury), as well as a feeling of oppression in the chest making it difficult to take a deep breath. This is often due to an overly tight diaphragm that’s preventing the lungs from comfortably expanding.

The Liver is considered 'the General' who leads the troops since the Liver controls the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. If the General is abusive however, his overbearing and insulting actions can compromise the performance of his troops. In the same way, a toxic liver can impair not only the lungs’ functions but also the digestive and elimination systems.

If the liver is not properly detoxifying the body or keeping the energy circulation flowing smoothly, this will lead to inflammation and pain as toxicity will build up in the tissues, especially in the joints.  

In Chinese Medicine, the Liver energy has an ascending quality and through this action it helps bring blood to our eyes to support strong vision and into the brain to support memory retrieval. However, if there is liver congestion due to toxicity its natural ascension of energy may become impaired and lead instead to a horizontal spreading out of energy hence causing tightness along the diaphragm and across the ribcage or flank regions. If more severe, overt pain or cramping can be experienced in the region of the liver itself.

If the Liver energy is spreading sideways pathologically rather than ascending this will also lead to the Liver or Wood energy over-controlling the Earth-digestive energy and causing numerous digestive complaints ranging from GERD to gas and bloating as well as nausea. In fact, according to Chinese Medicine, more serious conditions such as Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome are often rooted in a toxic liver that is insulting the Large Intestine and depending on the condition can involve the Small Intestine as well.

Since the Large Intestine is the other Metal element organ along with the Lungs, it is therefore also predisposed to being insulted by a toxic Liver.

A toxic liver is overheated indicating inflammation, but this may not overtly present in a blood test with elevated liver enzymes. A "hot" liver, however, may show up in your day-to-day health in different ways. For example, if you suffer from allergies or asthma during the Autumn season, it is likely that your Liver is insulting your Lungs and therefore needs a good cleanse.

An overheated liver can push its heat into the Heart system, causing hypertension, and into the head, causing headaches behind the eyes, around the temples, migraines and even temporomandibular joint pain (TMJD). In addition, since the Liver Blood nourishes the tendons and nerves, too much heat in the liver can dry up the blood and cause the development of muscle spasms and cramping or restless legs and neuropathy. All of these conditions are indicators that the liver is overheated and causing irritation of the muscular, vascular and neurological systems.

In these cases, you may benefit from doing a liver detox this season. You can start with a simple 10 day detox or try for a 4 week or more period depending on the severity of your condition. And during this time, it is important to avoid spicy foods such as coffee and alcohol which further create heat and dry up the blood. Of course, smoking is going to create both heat and dryness in the lungs and liver as well.

Tips for Detoxifying Your Liver

A powerful way to support liver detoxification is with an amino acid supplement called N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC). NAC helps synthesize glutathione which is a major antioxidant of the body that helps reduce the toxic effects of lipid oxidation which can lead to liver damage. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant stored in the liver to further support detoxification and repair of the liver itself. Numerous studies have shown NAC to improve liver function. Furthermore, taking 600mg twice a day has been shown to reduce mucous in the lungs and improve respiration with patients suffering with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, also known as COPD.

Another important amino acid supplement that supports liver detoxification and intestinal repair is L-Glutamine. Glutamine is now popularly used to repair a "Leaky Gut" due to erosion of the mucous membrane of the small intestine. It's also an important amino acid for the production of brain neurotransmitters, GABA and glutamate. These two neurotransmitters act in a Yin and Yang fashion as GABA helps down-regulate nervous system activity and glutamate helps stimulate the nervous system.

Bupleurum, Milk Thistle and Turmeric are important herbs used to improve glutathione levels as well in the liver and support liver restoration. Bupleurum and Milk Thistle are especially useful when there is heat in the liver. In regards to Turmeric there are three parts of the turmeric plant used in Chinese Medicine. I will mention two of them. The root is called Yu Jin. Yu Jin is cooling, very good for depression and anxiety as well as reducing the chest constraint and flank pains related to Liver Qi stagnation. The rhizome of turmeric is called Jiang Huang. This is the common turmeric herb used in cooking. Jiang Huang is warming and especially useful for joint pain and swelling from wind, dampness and blood stagnation. It also is used when blood stagnation is occurring in the liver and causing pain in the abdomen or flanks as well. Both forms of turmeric are used in anti-inflammatory supplements but have a clear distinction in action.

Your Chinese Medicine practitioner can diagnosis what liver conditions may be present upon examination of the tongue and pulse. In regards to tongue diagnosis, a tongue that shows blue veins along the sides of the tongue would indicate liver blood stagnation and if the tongue sides are especially red, this indicates heat. Please consult with us or your practitioner for a more detailed assessment before beginning any detox regimen.

Turmeric is commonly used in cooking in many Eastern cultures. It contains compounds that can support restoring healthy glutathione levels and boost the activity of glutathione enzymes.

Essential Oils to Reduce a Toxic Liver Insulting the Lungs and Large Intestine

Petigrain is an important oil to relax the chest and deepen inspiration when Liver Qi stagnation has constricted the diaphragm. Petigrain is a leaf oil and in general leafy greens help spread the Liver's Qi when it congests. Liver Qi stagnation will result in an irritable mind and if the Lung Qi gets depressed, depression of the mind can set in too. Petigrain helps resolve both of these patterns and transforms dampness in the process to improve memory as well. Apply diluted over the center of the chest and at the wrists to relax the diaphragm, deepen respiration and soothe the mind.

Peppermint is the signature oil to decongest the liver. Its antispasmodic action is useful for spasms of the colon and cramping of the muscles which may occur with liver toxicity. Taken internally in capsule form, peppermint oil has been shown to improve symptoms from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Lavender & Lavandin are all-purpose oils that can diffuse Lung Qi for chest tightness with diaphragmatic stress from liver congestion. These oils can calm an irritable or nervous mind and relax muscle tension due to Liver Qi stagnation. Both of these oils are antiseptic and used for reducing Lung Heat presenting with sinus infections and sore throats.

Lemon essential oil is an antiseptic for Lung heat problems such as sinusitis and sore throat as well. It also reduces Liver Fire with symptoms such as headaches, migraines, abdominal distention and gas. If excess Stomach Fire is occurring, lemon essential oil can reduce acid reflux and burning of the epigastric region. All citrus oils are effective antioxidants and very alkalizing for acidic conditions. Lemon essential oil is also useful for congested lymphatic regions and best when applied in diluted form with a carrier oil over the areas affected. Lemon essential oil is considered a liver decongestant and rejuvenator as well as a blood tonic. Lemon essential oil has been known to help strengthen fingernails which are supported by Liver Blood according to Chinese Medicine. 

Helichrysum (Everlast) is an amazing flower oil that's useful when the lungs have too much heat causing asthma, chronic bronchitis, coughing or allergies. It's especially beneficial to reduce toxins during a liver detoxification. Helichrysum is one of the key essential oils to use if Liver Fire (inflammation) has created Liver Blood Stasis as indicated with the red sides of the tongue along with blue veins which commonly occurs with the overuse of drugs (both pharmaceutical and street drugs).

Rosemary essential oil has a powerful therapeutic action on both the liver and lung systems. Rosemary can help relax the diaphragm to deepen respiration, and stimulates both the liver and gallbladder to support detoxification. Its stimulating action improves circulation, focus and concentration. Rosemary is a very warming oil that is considered a heart tonic so be cautious in its use if there is hypertension.

Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile are both amazing essential oils that can help regenerate a toxic liver and reduce liver inflammation. They are relaxing oils that can also reduce diaphragmatic constriction and discomfort around the ribcage and flanks to improve respiration by relaxing the nervous system. They are very calming oils hence the use of Chamomile tea before bed to help with sleep. When a toxic liver is causing trouble with the GI system in the form of dyspepsia, bloating, IBS, etc, both of these Chamomile essential oils can be rubbed over the affected regions in a diluted form for relief. In general, Roman Chamomile is used for children while German Chamomile is used with adults for anti-inflammatory and detoxification purposes.

Conclusion

When the Liver is relaxed and clear of toxins, the mind is calm and Qi can flow smoothly throughout the body. This helps us to also breathe more deeply and increase the strength of the lungs so they are less vulnerable during the Fall season.

These health suggestions are for educational purposes, so please consult your health care provider for personalized support and guidance.

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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, PhD, 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.

How World Events Can Impact Your Health: A Chinese Medicine Perspective

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

A few nights before the full moon, I woke up at 1:30 am and after tossing and turning for a while, I simply couldn’t get back to sleep. I finally got up and went to our guest room to do a meditation. At first this settled me quite a bit but within several minutes I felt stricken with a tightness in my chest, difficulty breathing and tension throughout my body.

The anxiety I felt was something I’d never experienced before, and it literally took every tool in my toolbox to get my heart to settle so I could finally go back to sleep.

I woke up exhausted early Monday morning and walked into the kitchen as Salvador read an article aloud about the massacre in Las Vegas. Like most people, I was initially just shocked. But as the reality set in and I read—and bawled over—story after story about the victims, the heroes and their families, a deep sense of grief took over.

Salvador pointed out later that day that there may be a connection between the way I’d been feeling the prior night and the incident. I felt the truth in this right away. 

Even though I didn't personally know anyone involved in the Las Vegas shootings, I felt a deep sense of compassion and empathy for all involved.

The human interconnection is something we all participate in and yet we seem to have lost sight of it lately trying to fit into a race, a gender, a religion, a political party, a certain way of thinking. 

These classifications create a broken nation, a divided world in which brothers and sisters turn against each other and we forget how deeply connected we all are.

But in moments like this, when fear strikes and lives are lost, we realize when other humans suffer, each of us suffer on some level.

Now more than ever, our greatest task is to preserve our health so that we can ultimately begin the healing that the world so desperately needs.

How Trauma Impacts Our Health from a Chinese Medical Point of View

All of us feel the same emotions. These emotions are one of our many common threads as human beings, though we may each process what we feel differently.

Li Dong-yuan, founder of the Earth School in Chinese Medicine, focused on what he referred to as the “five thieves,” or the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, pensiveness, and fright, any of which in excess become pathological. 

All of the emotions that Li Dong-yuan mentioned are excessive emotions that can cause pathology to develop in the body. For example, the Earth attribute of yi, or the mind, which is associated with the Spleen and Stomach, has a tendency to worry or become pensive. Nei Jing Su Wen, an important classical Chinese medical text, stated: “Pensiveness harms the spleen” (Unschuld, 2011, 207). If pensiveness is not properly transformed, it leads to obsession. The attribute of the Heart is known as the spirit, or shen. Over-joy, which includes excessive desires and passions, can overwhelm the Heart and disrupt the shen, since the Heart is the organ that manages joy. Over-joy can transform into anxiety and eventually mania.

According to Chinese Medicine, emotions are merely the movement of qi, or energy, directed by a certain organ, but excessive or repressed emotions have pathological consequences. 

Trauma shocks the entire system, and eventually sets into the internal organ system.

Trauma initially strikes our Kidneys with fear and fright, affecting our adrenal glands, our willpower, and even our faith.

Our Hearts are also affected and since the spirit resides in the Heart from a Chinese Medicine perspective, the spirit suffers as well. We may lose sleep, becoming restless and anxious.

Grief impacts our Lungs and the resulting weakness can cause shortness of breath, coughing, depression and even infections such as pneumonia. Weak Lungs also affect our ability to let go, which is a virtue of the Lungs.

Anger fires up our Liver causing irritability and even affecting the body’s detoxification and digestive processes, which then impacts our ability to assimilate both our food and thoughts.

Trauma can also stir up Wind as a form of resistance to change. (See more about Wind as a challenge to healing in this article)

What You Can Do to Help Yourself

Stress impacts the body and mind on so many levels and tragic events activate our stress response - whether we watch the news, read the paper or hear about it from a friend or family member.

This does not mean you should tune out entirely to protect your health, but it's important not to lose yourself in world events. When it feels like too much, do something nourishing. Cook a warm meal, call up a good friend, or go out and spend time in nature. It's crucial that you learn to consistently take care of yourself.

Self-cultivation and self-care are the only things we can control and the most important way to make a difference in what seems like a wounded, frightening world. 

To do this, we have to take more time alone. Take time to sit quietly, to feel the anger, sadness, fear, hopelessness. As the feelings move through you, you can let them go.

Retreating also allows us to nourish the blood to help open the orifices and eventually make changes in our perception.

Solitude provides space and time to fully process our emotions so we can start to see things more clearly with a greater sense of compassion and less fear. Time alone is important to help the energy of the Heart move back down into the Kidneys so that we feel purposeful and clear. This then calms and pacifies the Wind that stirs us up internally with the changes so that we no longer have the nervousness that prevents us from facing the world and the issues. 

Wearing stones such as Amethyst, Moonstone and Amber help calm the Shen, or spirit, to calm the mind and Heart. Herbs such as biota seeds and jujube seeds help to nourish the Heart. Nourishing the heart means being good to yourself, being kind to yourself and also being kind to the world so that you can develop a greater sense of compassion. 

When we’re healthy and compassionate, we act from a place of love, which allows us to be more available to support others who aren’t as strong or who are going through a difficult time.

Once you calm your Shen and nourish your Heart, you begin to open the orifices to change your perception of the world. 

As we change inside our bodies, the Yang of the Kidneys will support us to move through the difficult changes in our lives. Pacifying Wind through calming practices helps settle the Yang to have the courage to make change.

Only when we’re healthy and empowered can we truly make a difference. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” The more love we cultivate within ourselves, the more this love ripples into the world.

Our fundamental emotions, arguably the only emotions, are fear and love. The opposite of love is fear, not hate. The only way back to love is through a change in the perception of the world and the eradication of all other emotions that represent fear.

The first step to make this change is to recognize what we actually feel. Only then can we move through these feelings and channel their energy toward making positive changes in the world.

Our teacher, 88th generation Daoist Master Jeffrey Yuen has said many times: "The consciousness that brought on the disease cannot be the same consciousness that brings about healing." This goes for our individual healing and for the healing of the world as a whole.

A Meditation to Support You

Many years ago, I developed the BEME Meditation, which stands for Body, Emotions, Mind and Environment. Becoming aware of each of these aspects builds a deeper consciousness that connects us to how we truly feel. 

Mindfulness is a powerful tool to help us be more present, and can be profound to help settle the mind during difficult times. A calm mind becomes a clear mind and eventually provides the foundation for guiding the change that brings about healing.

You can practice this 10-minute meditation daily from the comfort of your home.

What You Can Do To Help Others

There are so many people who need our help right now. Here are a few ideas on what you can do for the victims and families affected by the recent tragedies:

Las Vegas

Puerto Rico

California

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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 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. 

What it Means to Be Healthy (and why it's easier than you may think)

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

“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The topic of health can instigate a variety of feelings and responses. If you’ve ever struggled with your health, the word alone can be a trigger. 

You may even feel shame and guilt about your choices with your health or think that being healthy may be too costly. 

And quite frankly, with all the information that’s available about the topics of health and wellness, it can be challenging to know what to believe or even where to begin. 

By definition, health is “the condition of being well or free from disease.” But to be healthy means “enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit.” 

So, to be healthy is to be free from disease and have vigor of body, mind or spirit.

Note that the spirit is embedded in this definition, which is why we’re going to look at why being healthy is fostered through a deeper relationship with yourself. 

Having a healthy lifestyle does not mean letting go of all the fun and pleasure in life and it certainly doesn’t mean making healthy choices all of the time.

Being healthy simply means doing things that keep you feeling good physically, mentally and spiritually. 

The World Health Organization’s definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” illuminates just that.

We are all comprised of a physical body, a mind and a spirit. So why is it that most of us forget about at least one of these parts of ourselves throughout the day?

The most complicated element of the human experience is the mind—and it’s also the most difficult to condition. Luckily, if you notice that your mental state is imbalanced early on, you can use your physical body to reshape your thinking. Ancient practices such as Yoga, Qi Gong and Meditation are designed to help with this.

The ‘monkey mind’, as many of these ancient traditions call it, needs to be trained. Otherwise, the mind will run in all directions and lead you to the demise of both your physical body and your spirit.

But what if you have a problem with your body physically, perhaps as a result of an illness, an injury or some type of chronic pain? 

When your body suffers, you have two choices—you can dwell on the pain or dwell on the process of healing.

When you’re able to change the station that’s playing in your head to focus on healing, you can more effectively uplift your spirit to then help your body recover. This can be done through a variety of spiritual practices and very simply through the daily and routine practice of gratitude. 

Gratitude creates space for positivity and joy to flow into your life. 

The more you focus on the good you have, the more you magnify those things and begin to cultivate better things to come into your life. This is the fastest way to heal your body, which is a reflection of the health of your mind and spirit.

To be healthy then does not necessarily mean eating the right foods, exercising and sleeping well.

In its very essence, health is cultivated through a sound, peaceful and positive body, mind and spirit. 

Health is the state of ease you cultivate through an intimate relationship with your body and mind.

This means that you care about and pay close attention to both the body and mind. 

To pay close attention, you have to be fully present. 

When you’re present, you feel what you need and want in each moment and are therefore far less likely to make decisions based on impulse. 

When you’re present, you often choose nutritious foods because you’re in tune with the impact of food on your body and mind. 

When you’re present, you’re more more mindful of the people with whom you spend your time because you want to feel nourished by your relationships. 

When you’re present, you listen to the cues to exercise not because you feel you have to, but because you actually enjoy it. 

Paying close attention to your body and mind means being present with how you feel moment to moment, and this cultivates self-love. Self-love brings ease to the body, mind and spirit and prevents disease manifestation.

Self-love means that you care enough about yourself that you fill your life with the people, things, foods and activities you enjoy. 

It’s more important to have your life be fullfilling than to have it be full. 

For many of you this may mean that you do less, rest more and spend time in fewer yet more nurturing relationships and surroundings.

Tips on what foods will give you energy, which exercises are appropriate for your body, element and age, and which practices will help recondition your mind are certainly helpful.

But the truth is, no matter what I or anyone else tells you, the choice to be healthy must authentically come from you. 

And once you really slow down and pay close attention to yourself, the realization of a truly fulfilling life simplifies making healthy choices.

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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 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.