(Episode 82) Shamanic Healing for the Five Elements


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Welcome to our latest episode, where we delve into the pursuit of balance through elemental practices. When we discuss the elements, we are referring to the five Chinese elements: Earth, Wood, Metal, Fire, and Water. Join us as we explore how these practices can enhance our well-being, harmony, and balance in today’s fast-paced world.

Key Themes:

  • Balance and Harmony: We discuss the crucial role of achieving balance in our lives and how connecting with the five Chinese elements can lead to mental, physical, and emotional harmony.

  • Shamanic Traditions: We encourage listeners to engage with shamanic practices to balance the five elements.

  • Connecting with the Elements:

    • Earth: Learn how drumming and preparing food can help you connect with the earth element.

    • Wood: We talk about hugging trees and listening to the wind to strengthen your wood energy.

    • Metal: Discover how wind chimes, singing bowls, and crystals can help you align with metal energy.

    • Water and Fire: Understand the importance of balancing these opposing forces through moon and solar gazing, and why spending time near water can cultivate Ying energy.

  • Leadership and Organization: We delve into how wood energy is associated with leadership and metal with organization, offering insights for those looking to improve in these areas.

  • Creative and Calming Practices: The episode covers how to stimulate creativity with Fire and calm the mind with Water, as well as safe alternatives to direct sun gazing.

Even if you just have 5 minutes, fast forward to one of these key moments, then bookmark this episode for later to learn:

  • [00:00] Introduction to the concept of balance and harmony through elemental energies for overall well-being.

  • [04:30] Discussion on the significance of grounding in the year of the Yang Wood Dragon.

  • [06:50] Importance of integrating shamanic traditions to balance the five Chinese elements for personal harmony.

  • [08:40] The role of astrology in self-awareness and its limitations without the addition of personal growth and free will.

  • [10:20] Practices to connect with the Earth element: drumming and cooking.

  • [12:05] Techniques for connecting with Wood energy: tree hugging and listening to the wind.

  • [14:00] Using wind chimes, singing bowls, and crystals to align with the metal element.

  • [15:35] Leadership and wood energy, organization and metal energy: exploring their interconnections.

  • [17:20] Engaging with Water and Fire energies through moon and solar gazing.

  • [19:10] Recommendations for inviting more Water energy into one’s life for Ying energy and balance.

  • [21:00] Calming the mind with Water practices and stimulating creativity with Fire practices.

  • [22:45] Advice on safe sun gazing.

  • [24:30] The healing benefits of altering old patterns and enhancing consciousness through these elemental practices.

  • [26:10] Emphasizing the role of nature in achieving relaxation and deepening awareness.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at  ⁠acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop⁠.

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!

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(Episode 80) Overcoming Obstacles to Cultivating a Positive Mindset: A Five Element Approach


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This episode will shift your mind! There are key ways to cultivate a positive mindset that have nothing to do with thinking more positively, or thinking at all.

Cultivating positivity involves addressing Five Element patterns within your health that'll allow you to make changes physically, emotionally and mentally to have your best year yet.

In this episode, you'll learn the 5 key patterns to focus on, including improving your gut health, so that you can cultivate a positive mindset with far less effort, and set goals you’ll actually achieve this new year and beyond.

Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, fast forward to any of these segments then bookmark this episode for later:

  • 6:00 what’s most essential for you to make a positive global impact

  • 10:00 foods to help purify your mind

  • 12:10 how to overcome your fear

  • 13:20 your life purpose and why it’s important to open your heart

  • 14:38 the important role of the Lungs to let go of trauma and experience forgiveness

  • 15:36 one of the easiest ways to shift patterns when you feel stuck and can’t let go

  • 16:15 why it’s hard to change your mind, and what to do instead

  • 17:00 lowering your stress response to protect your Lungs and Liver

  • 19:00 how your brain wave frequency affects your vibrational frequency

  • 19:28 what we can do to start to shift the way the world is vibrating right now

  • 21:00 a summary of 5 key things you can do to set goals you can actually achieve

  • 23:31 the most important question to ask yourself in order to get what you truly want

You’ll learn powerful ways to improve your gut health, strengthen your Kidney energy, calm your Heart, settle your nervous system, break patterns of of anger and frustration, and strengthen your immune system.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what was your biggest takeaway from this episode?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Ready to try a natural deodorant that actually works? Click to learn about Wild deodorant. With a fully sustainable design, Wild is vegan, cruelty free, contains all natural ingredients and scent combinations using essential oils.
Use promo code naturalhealing at checkout for 25% off your first order!

Click to download your free audio guide: How to Improve Your Gut Health in Just One Week!

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(Episode 77) Depressed? Essential Oils to Help You Navigate Sadness & Depression (Part 1) and (Episode 78) Depressed? Healing Chronic Depression with Essential Oils (Part 2)


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What was your key takeaway from either or both of these episodes? Let us know in the comments below!

Episode 77 Preview

Click here to download a transcript of episode 77.

Globally this is a time of great sadness, anger, and confusion. This level of suffering that is taking place in the world currently is so strong, that as a part of humanity, we are all going to suffer to varying degrees.

When the outer world is in chaos, it’s essential that we cultivate our inner world more deeply. We can create change in the external world by simply changing our individual consciousness. 

In this episode, you’ll learn how to navigate difficult emotions through the use of essential oils.

By using your great privilege and awareness to do inner work, cultivation, learning and self-healing, you can make great contributions to the global healing.

To move through the emotions of grief and sadness, we have to regulate the Qi (energy) of both the Lungs and Liver, as well as the Spleen and Stomach, according to Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn why this is important as well as how to do this through the use of essential oils.

You’ll learn all about three specific essential oils — Bergamot, Patchouli, and Cumin — that can help relax your central nervous system to reduce anxiety and depression, and improve sleep and digestion. 

And as you regulate your Qi from the inside to find your light, you can illuminate the darkness in the world.

Resources Mentioned in Episodes 77 & 78

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Episode 78 Preview

Click here to download a transcript of episode 78

When you're feeling down, know that there's always a solution to bring you back. There's a lot to learn from these emotional states, but it's also important to have tools to navigate these emotions to learn from these experiences and to create a ripple effect to heal the collective.

Regulating the Liver is essential to reduce depression, as well as fortifying the Spleen and Stomach.

In this episode, we’re going to focus on invigorating the blood. The blood in Chinese Medicine is said to store the emotions, the trauma, the memories.

Invigorating the blood can help liberate you from depression.

We’ll discuss three oils to help invigorate the blood and alleviate depression: Litsea (which can also relieve anxiety), Frankincense (which is known as a wound healer, physically and emotionally) and Sandalwood (which is also an important oil to relax your nervous system).

Just by smelling the essential oils, you’ll notice a shift in your mood.

At [7:15] Dr. Setareh Moafi will guide you through a gentle breathing exercise that’ll help you understand the important relationship between the Lungs and the Liver. This will also help you understand the power of essential oils that we discuss in both episodes 77 and 78 to relax the Liver and allow you to breathe more deeply.

It’s no wonder that breathing is such an essential part of meditation and relaxation. 

At [10:00] Salvador describes an easy acupuncture point that opens the diaphragm and can be used to apply these essential oils to relieve nausea, aid digestion, breathe more deeply and relax your chest for anxiety.

At [11:02] Salvador shares a formula of essential oils you can use to create a bath to help you sleep, reduce anxiety and calm your nervous system at the end of a stressful day.

You’ll also learn how to use the essential oils as a tool to address more chronic depression at [14:24].

At [16:57] you’ll learn the risks of taking a lot of supplements, as well as why it’s so important to limit the amount of information, food and stimulation you take in to prevent and reduce depression.

At [18:15] you’ll learn how coffee and dark chocolate may not be as beneficial as you might think when you’re dealing with anxiety and depression.

The essential oils can be powerful to liberate you from chronic sadness and depression. The work you do on an individual level will enhance the collective and make you more available for what the world is needing right now.

What was your key takeaway from either or both of these episodes? Let us know in the comments below!


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(Episode 76) Moving Through Grief: 3 Essential Oils to Help You Let Go


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Essential oils are allies from nature that defend us from the external world as well as from our internal battles.

Today we’re exploring essential oils in relation to the Metal Element. You’ll learn how imbalances in personality and emotional state can be harmonized using essential oils.

Essential Oils for the Metal Element

Essential oils can help us when we feel weak and vulnerable to the elements, including bacteria, viruses, wind and cold. They can also help us with social factors when feeling uncomfortable in a social situation. 

These oils can help us support the functions of the Lungs and Large Intestine, the organs related to the Metal Element, which relates to our immunity.

Many of them help when you’re having difficulty with inspiration in terms of your breathing but also they help with feeling a lack of creativity; when you feel despondent so you can feel more inspired.

Grief could come from a loss of any kind – work, friend, partner, etc. 

Essential oils are allies that fortify your soul. Each of the Five Element organ systems have a specific soul expression. The soul of the Lungs is called Po. 

Three primary souls inhabit the body – Liver stores Hun, Shen holds onto your experiences and direct experiences with Spirit, and Po is the Corporeal Body which is the most dense aspect of your soul that helps you feel grounded and embodied.

Essential oils related to the Metal Element will help you feel more grounded and more whole within yourself. This is associated with Wei Qi, which is produced by the Lungs via the Spleen and Stomach, and circulates on the exterior to help us defend against external factors as well as social factors that may make us feel vulnerable.

The Lungs, Grief & Self-Definition

One of the virtues of the Lungs is this idea of inspiration. Inspiration can relate to inhalation, taking a deep breath, but it can also relate to motivation and the inspiration to create and be alive.

The first breath you take separates you from your mother and gives you a distinct self-definition. Your final breath takes you out of your body and into the next world.

When the Lungs are weak or stagnant, we start to feel sadness, grief and especially apathy, which is the opposite of inspiration. One thing that’s important to do is strengthen and boost Qi of the Lungs and also clear the stagnation that comes from phlegm in the Lungs that makes us feel more stuck in our lives. (You can learn more about the relationship between the Lungs and grief in this article).

During Autumn, it’s important to moisten the Lungs (we talked about this in episode 74) to combat the dryness that’s common during this time.

On a psychological level, as you nourish Lung Yin, you’re also nourishing your sense of self so it helps you feel more grounded within yourself. The Po of the Lungs is this dense energy that helps you feel more grounded and whole within yourself and more present in the moment.

The stronger your Lungs, the stronger your sense of identity and your sense of embodiment.

Essential Oils & The Final Transition: Death

At [10:00] Salvador describes the recent loss of his father and how he worked with essential oils during the last five days of his life to let go of the Po and fully transition. Salvador describes in detail the beautiful final days and moments of his father’s journey.

3 Essential Oils to Help You Cope with Grief

  1. Pine

    Pine essential oil is a warming, drying and spicy mucolytic essential oil that’s commonly used by Native Americans. Pine essential oil helps to strengthen your Qi and is one of the most powerful oils to clear Cold Phlegm (as discussed in Episode 75).

    Psychologically, Pine essential oil invigorates the Po by opening the chest, helping you feel less oppressed and giving you self-confidence.

    Pine reduces melancholy, pessimism, shame and blame by improving self-image. It’s also an excellent oil to use when you’re feeling stuck.

    Pine essential oil is also a great oil to help you when you’re feeling burdened with guilt and to help you let go, which is the greatest virtue of the Lungs. 

  2. Clary Sage

    Clary Sage essential oil is an uplifting floral oil that’s often used for hormonal balance. Clary Sage essential oil is warming, dry, boosts Qi and also circulates Qi.

    It helps when you feel wired and tired, is uplifting and helps you feel more inspired. It’s also an essential oil that helps with sadness and grief and to support the Po. 

  3. Cypress

    Cypress essential oil is perhaps the most important oil to use when you’re dealing with grief and loss. The Greeks planted cypress trees in graveyards to help the deceased souls in times of grief.

    Cypress is astringent, so it’s commonly used when there’s leakage of Qi such as excessive sweating or urination. Cypress is antispasmodic and mucolytic.

    It’s an especiialy important essential oil when someone is suffering from grief and when stuck in grief.

Remember that sadness and grief can weaken the Lungs over time, so during times of transition it’s especially important to support the Lungs with essential oils and time in nature to avoid compromising the Lungs.

Essential oils can provide support for your immune system, your mood, as well as to help you move through times when you feel stuck.

As Dr. Setareh states: “Nature is always there to support you.”

What did you think of this episode? Did you find these essential oils helpful during this challenging time?

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop.

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!


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(Episode 75) Essential Oils for the Cold and Flu Season


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In the last episode (episode 74) we discussed how important it is to keep your Lung Qi strong, especially during Fall as well as ways to boost your immune system through lifestyle and dietary changes.

In this episode you’ll learn how to use essential oils to fortify the Lungs to keep the immune system strong for Fall and year-round, as well as how to use essential oils to support your emotional well-being.

In episode 38 we discussed five of the most powerful essential oils to boost your immune system. Some of the information we discuss in this episode will be a review of that earlier episode, but we’ll focus on strengthening the Lungs to make the Fall transition a little bit easier.

These essential oils will help you clear the Lungs, break up phlegm, and help you get rid of a cough. You can use these essential oils as a powerful protector as well as powerful treatment.

In Chinese Medicine, Wind Cold is an early stage of a cold. You may have a stuffy nose and thinner mucus. If you start to feel a postnasal drip, this is an early sign that you should use essential oils to treat the cold before it gets too serious. Cold phlegm can turn into a hot phlegm, developing into a bad respiratory condition with yellow mucus.

These essential oils, like all essential oils, are more than just helpful to the immune system, however, they are a multifaceted approach to holistic healing. You can use them to treat the physical and the emotional ailments we all face. Essential oils go directly to the brain, to the limbic system, or your emotional brain.

An imbalance in the lungs can be related to grief or sadness which can cause us to feel really stuck in our lives. You can use these types of oils to help you break these emotional patterns where you feel you are trapped. Oils help to instigate this change in a therapeutic way. It’s a good idea to keep these essential oils in your medicine cabinet at all times of the year.

The safest way to administer the essential oils is with an essential oils diffuser.

Essential Oil #1: Eucalyptus Radiata

Eucalyptus Radiata is a primary ENT oil (ears, nose, and throat). You can use this oil for both viral and bacterial conditions. It also works well for both hot and cold phlegm. You can use this oil alone or in combination with Essential Oil #2.

Essential Oil #2: Eucalyptus Citriodora

Eucalyptus Citriodora is great for wind-heat conditions, whether you have allergies, inflamed sinuses, or you are sneezing in general.

Essential Oil #3: Bay Laurel

Bay Laurel is also great to cook with; you can drop a leaf into what you’re cooking up and it will help your immune system. As an essential oil, you can use this to break-up phlegm. It will help open your sinuses.

Essential Oil #4: Sweet Marjoram

Sweet Marjoram treats hot phlegm, asthma, or wheezing. This is a relaxant and therefore it does wonders for sore or stiff muscles. This is a great oil to use in your bath. You can also use it to help ease headaches, to cool the Liver, to reduce fire in the body or to help relieve stress and hypertension. This oil is Liver Lung compatible and will help relax the diaphragm which will deepen your breath.

Essential Oil #5: Thyme Linalool

Of the different kinds of Thyme essential oils, Linalool is very gentle. You can use this oil for a cooling and relaxing effect. It is drying so you can use it to break down mucus in the body. You can also use this oil for both Wind Cold and Wind Heat. This is a great oil to use when you notice an infection start to penetrate the throat; you may have a sore throat, sinuses inflamed, or a headache.

These five essential oils can help you ease into the Fall season by protecting and helping you heal from cold or flu symptoms.

Once you’ve listened, let us know which of the oils you’d like to try in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!


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(Episode 74) Supporting Your Immune System During the Fall Transition


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In this episode you’ll learn about the different ways you can strengthen your immune system as we head into the Fall or Autumn season. These methods can also be applied to any seasonal change by focusing on some of the body systems, like the Lungs, Colon, Skin, Spleen and Stomach.

These tips will help with digestive issues, and can even be useful for improving weight management and restful sleep.

Hydration

Fall is a time of the Lungs and the climate is drier, which will most impact your Lungs, Large Intestine/colon and skin systems. It’s important to strengthen your Lungs and to combat dryness during this time.

During the day, Wei Qi provides a protective layer along your skin to protect you from the external environment.

If your skin is dry you can use oils to bring back hydration into the skin. You can use sesame oil, shea butter, or coconut oil. These are strong hydration techniques, so be cautious if your skin gets oily quickly, as these heavy oils can clog pores.

Too much exposure to the elements this time of year, especially with the strong winds and cold temperatures, can cause you to contract Wind Cold. The phrase “catching a cold” comes from this idea! Wind Cold can transform into Wind Heat, which is a more infectious and more serious condition.

Since Stomach fluids are a big part of Wei Qi production, hydration is essential.

The water you drink is important because most water sources are stripped of their minerals (like potassium & sodium) and electrolytes. You can make sure the water you drink have these minerals by putting them in your water yourself. You can add a pinch of Celtic sea salt.

Food and Nutrition

Wei Qi rules your immune system and is produced in the Stomach. You can make dietary changes to strengthen your Wei Qi and reduce dryness, or for some people to reduce dampness during the Fall season, and all seasonal transitions.

If you have any skin issues you’re going to want to avoid nuts, and eat more seeds instead. Almonds are great for the Lungs, it strengthens and nourishes them.

However if you need to hydrate the Lungs, eat fruits such as citruses, apples, and pears - pears are the best.

How you cook your foods is important in terms of how this affects your wellbeing.

For instance, to increase the hydrating effect of fruits for the Lungs, you can steam, poach, or even just let the fruit sit in a pot to simmer for a little while. If you bake these fruits instead, this would be more drying.

When cooking fruits, there’s no need to add sugar, but do add spices like cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. This will introduce the Earth element and it warms some of the cold nature of the fruit.

Even though this is a season of dryness, some people have a dampness problem and not a dryness problem. This could be caused by what they are eating (dairy, sugar, processed carbs) creating mucus and phlegm. Avoid these foods if you do have too much dampness.

To nourish the Earth Element during any seasonal change, eat regularly, don’t skip meals or eat haphazardly.

Intermittent fasting is best suited for those with a lot of Stomach Fire, hypertension and high blood sugar levels. If this is you, having a break from food - a period of cool down - is helpful to your health.

If you are insulin resistant and have poor digestion on the other hand, smaller meals eaten through out the day is the way to go. This is because larger meals can stress the Spleen and weaken the Qi.

You can take digestive enzymes to help break down the food, which helps prevent stagnation and accumulation of heat in the Stomach which can cause constipation. And due to the dryness this time of year, constipation can be more common.

You can order our personal line of digestive enzymes (Ahara Botanics) directly through our store.

If you’re fatigued, your lower back is aching, or you’re prone to burnout, consider eating more seeds. Pumpkin seeds specifically are high in zinc which helps the Kidneys and your immune system.

Rest & Exercise

During this time of season which is moving from Yang to Ying, your energy is shifting from being outwardly expressed to going more inward. This is a time to minimize your relationship with the external world, a time to reset.

This time of year you should be getting more rest to support your immune system.

Eating small amounts of the cooked fruit towards the end of the day can help aide your sleep because it anchors your Lung Qi.

While rest is important this time of year, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise. Exercise keeps the Lungs strong. You should do cardiovascular exercise to get your heart rate up. During the Fall, this can be in the form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts in as short as 8-10 minutes. In addition to the HIIT workouts, we recommend gentle exercises, such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or Yoga.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!


Loved this episode?

Please subscribe and consider rating & reviewing our podcast on Apple Podcasts. Five star reviews help us reach & support more listeners like you. You can also follow us on Spotify to be the first to hear about new & bonus episodes!

Thank you!

(Episode 69) Lighten Up: How to Cultivate your Fire Energy


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The burden of stress can create tension in the body and mind. By learning how to work with the Fire Path, you can learn how to use this breathing method to relax and loosen chronic tension patterns and ease the burden of mental and emotional strain so you can lighten up. This is especially important if you struggle with anxiety and depression, and generally it’s for all during the Fire season of Summer.

While it’s important to be grounded and to practice earthing, which we discussed in Episode 67, it’s also important to have buoyancy in life, and to be able to lift your mood when life feels heavy.

You’ll learn specific exercises you can do right at home, or anywhere, to release stagnant Fire energy and bring lightness to your body, heart and mind.

Dr. Setareh and Salvador share about the power of shaking, dancing, and finding other ways to express your Fire energy, as well as a visualization exercise to open up the Fire Path in your body.

Harmonizing the Fire and Water Paths is essential and in this episode you’ll also learn which of the paths to focus on at any given time to ground yourself and lighten up.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

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(Episode 67) Grounding: The Secret to Longevity


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Click here to download a transcript of our conversation.

According to the Chinese luni-solar calendar, Summer began on May 6th in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s important to cool down both physically and energetically at this, as well as if you tend to feel anxious, restless or have inflammation in general. In this episode, you’ll learn how to achieve this by doing a variety of easy daily practices.

Many people think they should exercise vigorously all year round to be healthy, however it is best to live life seasonally. As Dr. Setareh says in this episode to be healthy year round is, “to live with the rhythm of nature.”

Summer is associated with the Fire Element, which can cause us to feel more stimulated, anxious, restless, distractible, and emotional.

To ease these seasonal effects — and if you tend to generally be anxious, restless or have inflammation — it’s important to cool your body down by grounding, rather than by overexerting with vigorous exercise.

There are many ways to ground yourself. A few examples are by practicing qi gong, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and by being in the moment and not living in the past nor future.

By focusing on the cooling aspects of these practices, you can help anchor the Fire from this season within yourself.

You’ll learn two go-to exercises Dr. Setareh and Salvador recommend for grounding in this episode!

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

Experience a life of endless possibilities by downloading this free audio guide.

Balance your yin and yang energies to shift mental, physical, and emotional patterns that would otherwise lead to accelerated aging, illness, and disease — click here to learn how with the Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbit meditations.


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(Episode 59) Creating Space: 3 Practices to Allow New Energy Into Your Life this New Year

Once you’ve listened, scroll down to the comments and let us know — how will YOU create space in your life this new year?

With the onset of the lunar new year and the beginning of the Year of the Water Rabbit, creating space is essential to allow new energy to enter your life.

In this episode you’ll learn how to create space in your physical environment, your body and mind to attract new possibilities in this new year and beyond.

The Year of the Water Rabbit

The Chinese New Year starts with the first new moon of the year, which in 2023 was on January 22nd. The change of the zodiac occurs based on the first solar term (the beginning of the 24 solar terms), which is on February 4th.

The solar terms are based on the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun, divided into fifteen degree segments. These solar terms also determine the seasons. According to the luni-solar calendar, February 4th is the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Vernal Equinox is actually the middle of the Spring season.

We are transitioning from the Year of the Water Tiger in 2022 to the Year of the Water Rabbit.

Since the Rabbit’s natural element is Wood and according to the Five Elements, Water nourishes Wood, this year of the Water Rabbit is considered to be a harmonious year.

In order to fully experience the benefits of this new year, it’s important to make changes to create space in your life.


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How to Create Space

Creating space in your environment can be done first through decluttering your home and office, and getting rid of the things you don’t need in your life.

One of the methods we like to employ for this is rooted in the KonMari Method from the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. In it, Marie encourages that you go through each category of your belongings (clothes, shoes, jewelry, makeup, kitchenware, etc.) and determine which items ‘spark joy.’

Anything that doesn’t bring you joy when you’re in its presence should either be discarded or given away.

This allows you to really scale back on the extra clutter that you don’t even enjoy having in your life!

We also recommend that every year you try to get rid of at least 30% of all your belongings. It may sound like a lot, but you’ll be amazed at how much extra clutter accumulates over the course of a year!

The next thing to be mindful of is your breathing.

Inhalation allows you to draw in fresh energy, while your exhalation allows you to let go and release toxins from your body.

When your breathing is shallow, not only does this inhibit you from letting go, but it also inhibits the Qi from effectively flowing throughout your body.

Ultimately, the way energy flows in your body will be reflected in your life.

Taking deep breaths allows you to maintain the movement of energy and blood, thereby creating space physically and emotionally.

In terms of the physical body, creating space requires the movement of Yin stagnation and this can be done vibrational through Water Breathing, which has been discussed in past episodes. Salvador demonstrates this breathing in this episode.

Emotionally, releasing emotional stagnation requires moving the blood of the Pericardium Luo, which is done by tapping the inner arm, which is explained in this episode.

Overall, you want to make sure to create space in your physical environment as well as your body through deep breathing and in your emotions through simple exercises that free the stagnation physically, mentally and emotionally.

As you create space, you allow for new and endless possibilities to come into your life.

Scroll down to the comments and let us know — how will YOU create space in your life this new year?

Resources mentioned in this episode

How to Do Ujjayi Breathing

How to Attract Endless Possibilities

(Episode 57) Mood-Boosting Foods, Practices & Essential Oils to Help When You're Feeling Down


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Share your thoughts in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen. We’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion of depression and how it ties into the seasons and our diet. In our last episode, (Episode 56) we discussed how a vegetarian diet can exacerbate a depressed state in the context of seasonal changes and the Five Elements in accordance with Classical Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn how to protect and strengthen the Kidneys to improve your metabolism and reduce depression.

Preventing Symptoms of Depression by Strengthening Your Yang Qi

A diet that includes many foods that are cold in nature can suppress the body’s Yang Qi.

Yang Qi is the root of Wei Qi which can help give you a sense of stimulation in life, enhancing qualities of motivation and courage. Suppression of the Yang Qi can lead to listlessness, lack of energy and motivation, and ultimately, you can feel depressed.

Today we’re going to discuss the ways you can fortify your Yang Qi using your diet, as well as ways to improve your gut health overall, and how you can prevent some of the symptoms that come with the feeling of depression.

The Source of Yang Qi Must be Protected During the Winter

In accordance with the seasons in the Lunar Solar Calendar that we discussed in the last episode, Winter is upon us; November 7th being the onset of winter according to that calendar. During the winter, it’s imperative to protect your Kidneys as they are the foundation for all the Qi of your body and the source of Yang Qi to warm up metabolism.

The Kidneys relate to your reproductive system, adrenal glands, and hormones (including stress hormones). It’s important to be aware of your Kidney Qi and whether it might need some nurturing.

A way to check if your Kidney Qi needs a boost, especially during the onset of the cold season, is to notice if your feet are feeling especially cold. Cold hands is also an indicator, but having cold hands can be more of a reflection of poor circulation and related to the Heart and Spleen Qi.

Another way to do a self-evaluation is to notice if your lower back feels particularly stiff or if your lower back or butt feels cold. This can indicate that your Kidneys may be feeling tired – the area is tightening and circulation is decreasing as your body tries to bring energy to that area.

Cold and stiff knees are another indication that your Kidney Qi can use a boost.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, this is a sign for you to take it easy and slow down…

Fortifying Your Kidney Qi

A great way to protect your Kidneys is to keep your lower back and lower belly warm with a hot pack, this helps to penetrate the Qi into your Kidneys. We would recommend using microwavable heat packs or hot water bottles rather than electrical heat pads.

You can also protect the lower back and butt area from being exposed to the cold by wearing a wrap around your waist to protect your Kidney’s Qi. You’ll notice a big difference in your energy.

In Yogic Tradition, there is a practice of pulling in the Mula Banda - The Root Block or the perineum, which is the area between the anus and genitalia – when that area is collapsing (which it frequently is) it creates a leakage of Qi, a leakage of your energy. Pay attention to how you hold the energy around the Sacrum, the Lumbar, and how you hold your body and your posture in the lower region. You’ll notice that if you hold your energy in more frequently throughout the day you’ll feel more energized at the end of the day.

Preventing the Taxation of the Kidney Qi

There are various factors that can tax the Kidneys and cause them to weaken, so it’s essential to be aware of your body. A lot of taxation on our physical state can be prevented with our awareness of how we move through our lives.

One factor that can cause heavy taxation on the Kidneys is long bouts of standing. Consciously breathing, and following the Yin & Yang paths (Water and Fire paths) by drawing the energy down the back into the lumbar region, then exhaling up through the front of the torso can greatly lessen the taxation on your lower back and Kidneys while grounding your energy as it goes down the front of yours legs while you exhale.

Overextending or overworking yourself, especially working late into the night is exhausting to the Kidneys. Going to bed early and rising early is what helps regenerate the Kidneys (and all cells in general). It helps preserve your Yin.

The Yin is what holds the Yang. So if the Yin is depleted, as you sleep the Yang Qi floats out and you’re likely to wake up more easily throughout the night or you may find that you have a harder time falling asleep. That’s why its important to rejuvenate and recover your Yin – but it’s not a quick or easy thing to do. It takes time and lots of rest.

This is why taking time, 5 to 15 minutes, each day to sit quietly and go into a meditative state is incredibly helpful. You’re slowing down your brain wave frequency which in turn will slow down your kidneys and adrenals, allowing your body and mind to settle, rest and recover.

Improving Your Disposition Through Your Gut

Taking the time to settle your mind will not only help your kidneys, but also your digestive health and your digestive health is directly linked to your emotional health. This means your gut is related to depression.

Within the Five Elements, the Earth element is the mother of the Metal Element and the Earth Element is made up of the spleen and stomach organ systems.

The Metal Element is made up of the Lungs and Colon, the large intestine, as well as your Skin, which is the largest organ in your body.

If you’re having trouble with your gut health, this will affect your immune system since 70% of your Immunity is produced in your gut. This will also affect your ability to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin because 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut.

If you’re feeling down, that could be rooted in poor gut health.

Studies have shown, when transferring the healthy microbiome (or gut flora) of adventurous energetic rats to unhealthy lethargic rats, the lethargic rats became healthy and full of energy.

The other way around was just as true.

When the microbiome of unhealthy depressed rats was transferred to the active healthy rats they became lethargic, afraid and depressed. The transfer of the microbiome had an immediate and complete shift in motivation in both groups of rats.

If you are having emotional issues, mood issues, health problems or insomnia, just improve your gut microbiome!

The Earth Element and it’s Relation to Your Emotional Health

In the Five Elements system, Earth is considered the Center. In your health Earth is also your Center. So if you take better care of your Earth your going to have a better capacity for self-care because “care” is part of the Earth Element.

You’re going to have better immunity because your Wei Qi is produced by Gu Qi is a kind of energy produced in your stomach. And just a reminder that Wei Qi is the energy that externally covers your body, protecting you from the outside world and then settles into your body to help you get deep sleep.

When considering the Earth Element, we also don’t want the Earth to be too soggy – same goes for your body. Too much dampness within your body caused by sugar, processed foods, lots of cold foods will affect your Qi.

6 Ways to Start Feeling better

Please remember that these suggestions are not tailored to you and your constitution, so please seek out professional guidance before making drastic changes. You’re welcome to schedule a Nutritional Consultation with Dr. Setareh if you’d like to work with her directly.

  1. Avoid damp producing foods such as cold foods, grains, nuts, fried foods and oils.

  2. Eating more cooked leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens.

  3. Eat more root vegetables which help assist the spleen like sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips and radish.

  4. Spices can also help with breaking up the dampness. Spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric, fennel, caraway. You can also get these spices as essentials oils (diluted).

  5. Essential oils to clear the dampness are Thyme and Oregano.

  6. Flora Clear, an Ahara Botanics supplement which is a unique blend of probiotics and enzymes to reset your gut.


Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

And be sure to get on the waitlist for the Yin and Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023! You’ll learn how to self-diagnose through tongue diagnosis and all about the energetics of food so you know exactly what’s best for your body. 



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(Episode 56) Can a Vegetarian Diet Increase Depression?


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We’d love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen!

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the idea of how depression can correlate with diet, seasonal changes and the Five Elements from a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective. We’ll also examine the question: can depression correlate with vegetarianism and eating a vegetarian diet?

The Chinese Medicine Perspective

Studies have shown in the last few years that there’s a possibility that a vegetarian diet may be tied to a greater propensity for depression. As we delve into this topic, keep in mind that nutrition and diet are highly personalized. What’s on trend, or what might have worked for someone you know, may not work for you and your body’s constitution.

We’ll begin with a survey of the Five Elements, the seasons according to the Ancient Chinese Lunar-Solar Calendar and their corresponding organ systems and how they correlate with depression.

Fall and the Lungs

During the time of recording this episode, we’re nearing November 7th which is actually the beginning of Winter according to the Ancient Chinese Lunar-Solar calendar.

The Fall season is associated with the Lungs, and the Lungs are related to the emotion of sadness. Lungs are vulnerable at this time of year as they are the predominant organ of the season.

When the environment gets more dry, internal environments and organs such as the lungs tend to become more dry as well. This imbalance can lead to feelings of sadness.

Lungs like to be moist, so this is a good time to consider hydration through foods such as soups and stews, which are also warming foods that are really great to consume as the weather gets colder.

Winter and a Vegetarian Diet

During the onset of Winter, the coldest time of year, we can see how a vegetarian diet can accentuate depression and sadness for some people.

Diet directly impacts our mood and emotional experience, and Cold stagnates and is used to slow things down. We never really use cold to speed things up.

The experience of depression has a lot to do with Qi stagnation, and insufficient Liver blood to support or uplift your mood.

Cold temps in the environment during fall and winter seasons can always be a risk factor for your internal systems and, therefore, emotional well-being.

Yang Qi in Food

From a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective, there is an inherent nature to each food in addition to the physical temperature of the food. In the winter, people should focus on eating foods that are both warm in temperature as well as foods that are inherently warm in nature.

People with Qi stagnation generally don't have enough Yang Qi. You will commonly see this in people with hypothyroidism and their thyroids are sluggish.

Yang Qi is primarily found in animal-based foods, primarily in furry animals like beef, buffalo or lamb. Alternatively plants and vegetables are more Yin and cooler in nature.

When eating meat you increase the body’s Yang Qi. When looking at the energetics of the food, an example of the energetics of food, if you’re feeling cold or stagnant in life or if you're feeling a lot of sadness or depression, you shouldn’t be adding more cold to your diet. You should be adding heat, instead.

Vegetarian diets are more cold by nature, grains can cause dampness, but animal meats will provide warmth.

Diet and Wei Qi

Lungs are associated with the Wei Qi or the most superficial Defensive Qi.

The immune system aspect is supported by the Kidney’s Yang Qi, or core metabolic temp.

Wei Qi is supported by eating birds like chicken, turkey, quail or cornish hens. Bird meats can also have a warming and stimulating effect on Wei Qi so if you have a lot of allergies or if you’re trying to bring a fever down you may want to avoid making the classic chicken soup when you’re sick.

Skin issues can also be stimulated by poultry which can be inflammatory.

Wei Qi supports your mood. If your Wei Qi is weak, you really want to support your lungs. Fruits can help, including peels to relax the liver, so liver and lungs can be in harmony. Citrus fruits are also important and in season during the winter season which can help with hydration.

Always keep in mind that fruits are high in sugar so be mindful of the amount of fruit or citrus juices you consume. Vitamin C is useful for supporting the lungs Yin Qi.

Vegetarianism and Qi & Blood Vitality

For people who eat a vegetarian diet, who tend to be cold, who tend to feel lethargic, who tend to get sick easily and/or who tend to easily get depressed, it is encouraged to have some more meat in your diet, especially red meat to strengthen the core of your body and strengthen the Liver blood.

Of course, there is an ethical dilemma with the climate crisis and mass production of meats on the major markets. However, it’s important to be careful of making drastic changes to your diet without understanding the repercussions of how that can affect your physical, mental and emotional health.

While it’s important to eat less meat, it may not be beneficial to adapt an entirely vegetarian diet and to stop eating meat entirely.

It’s also important to make sure that you’re paying attention to how and from where you source your food, especially meat.


Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

And be sure to get on the waitlist for the Yin and Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023! You’ll learn how to self-diagnose through tongue diagnosis and all about the energetics of food so you know exactly what’s best for your body. 


Conclusion

In summary, a vegetarian diet and depression can be linked and it’s important to have awareness of what most can benefit your body by taking an informed, conscious approach to diet and nutrition.

We’d love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen!

Resources Mentioned This Episode

Click to subscribe and become a member of our incredible global community.

Click here to get on the waitlist for the Yin & Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023.


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Thank you!

(Episode 47) Adapting to Change Part 3: Qi Gong to Release Pathological Wind

In this episode of The Natural Healing Podcast, you’ll learn Qi Gong exercises to help strengthen your Wei Qi (Defense Qi) to boost your immune system and help you clear pathogenic Wind patterns from your body and mind.

Read More

(Episode 45) Adapting to Change Part 1: How to Balance Wood Energy in Your Life

In this episode of The Natural Healing Podcast, we converse on the topic of Wind, specifically Liver Wind.

Read More

(Episode 42) 3 Strategies to Find Your Center in Trying Times

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what will you do to ground and recenter yourself in these transitional times?

Getting grounded is essential during periods of global and personal transition. While people often rely on deeper cultivational practices like meditation, it can turn into a way to escape reality rather than getting centered within the body. However, there are also ways to ground the self without drifting away from reality. 

In this episode, we explore three key strategies to find your center during transitional times, regardless of external circumstances. 

Tip #1: Improve your Gut Health


Getting grounded is related to the Earth element in Chinese Medicine, which rules over all transitions. As the central element in the Five Element system of Chinese Medicine, it is the core of your being and the center of your health. 

Your home is your Earth, the kitchen is the Earth of your home, and the digestive system is the Earth of your physical body.

Therefore, gut health is fundamental to centering yourself, achieving clarity of mind, and focusing on your life purpose. 

There is a bidirectional communication between the brain and the digestive system, meaning that digestive upset can disrupt and decenter the self and impact mental health. What you eat affects how you think, and what you think affects how you digest. 

In response to stress, it’s common for people to either lose their appetite or feel the urge to stress eat. In Chinese Medicine, loss of appetite during stressful times is related to Spleen deficiency. This results in weakened enzymatic activity, and those with a Spleen deficiency may have soft stools, indicating that they are not assimilating or absorbing what they’re eating. 

Eating smaller meals more frequently, as well as adding protein to your diet, can help stabilize blood sugar. Furthermore, those with a Spleen deficiency should consume soft foods that are more easily digestible, such as congee, soups, and stews. 

A raw food diet might be harmful to those with weakened enzymatic activity, as raw foods can be difficult to digest for those with weak Spleens. In Episode 10 of the podcast, we delve further into the reasons why smoothies and salads can actually impede weight loss and damage gut health.

For those who respond to anxiety by stress eating, the Liver creates heat in the Stomach that causes hunger to flare. A Cooling diet is recommended to balance out excess Stomach heat. Those with excess heat in the Stomach, Spleen, and Liver may experience high blood pressure, fat accumulation around the waist and hips, and high blood sugar. One way to treat this excess state is to try intermittent fasting, or fasting for longer periods of 12 to 16 hours. 

Nourishing the gut microbiome is also essential, and this can be achieved by getting adequate probiotics, which build up the microbiome, as well as prebiotics, which help the microbiome accumulate in the gut. Digestive enzymes help take care of the gut microbiome, and we recommend our prebiotic/probiotic combo, Ultra Pro SFO, and our digestive enzyme, Digestion Ease, which aid and improve gut health. Both are available for purchase here, and you can read more information about them here.


Tip #2: Anchor your Qi

If you have good gut health, energy can be drawn into the lower part of the body, the domain of the Kidneys. In Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are related to the Water element, which can control and balance out the Fire element in the body. The Water of the Kidneys cools the Fire of Heart, which flares up when you experience anxiety and insomnia.

The Pericardium is the part of the body that holds past traumas, which can create chest constructions and Liver issues. It’s important to make sure the Liver is regulating Qi properly, and the diaphragm has to be relaxed and open so that the chest can communicate with the lower body and the Kidneys. 

In addition, the Water element starts to decline during menopause and andropause, which can cause an increase in Fire. This flaring results in sudden and severe states of anxiety, as well as a rush of Qi into the throat and chest. Opening up the Heart and chest by breathing deeply can anchor the chest and recenter the body. 

Nourishing the Heart-Kidney connection is also important for mental and physical health. By drawing the love from the Heart lower down in the body, love can be returned to the self. If you don’t love yourself, it’s difficult to extend love to the outside world. Establishing the Heart-Kidney connection cultivates a sense of purpose, fostering your desire to live out your destiny and potential.

Your sense of purpose is located in the Water of the Kidneys. If you are unsure of your purpose, it’s important to remember that everyone has a purpose. Everyone is brought into the world at this time for a purpose, and your mission is to connect the Heart and the Kidneys so that the Heart can help you express and foster that purpose. 

Our energy is mirrored by the world, whether it’s frenetic or placid. Remaining present in the moment is healing, along with simply being in your power and doing activities that you enjoy. 


Tip #3: Return to the Essence of Yin & Yang

When tension is held in the body, check for freedom of movement in the Three Rings. The First Ring is around the collar (neck, shoulders, scapula), the Second Ring is around the intercostal ribs, and the Third Ring is around the pelvis. 

Yoga and Qigong practices help open up these three rings, improving rotation and circulation between the Heart and Kidneys. Click here to access a Yin Yoga Integration to help you let go of stress and anxiety.

In addition, returning to the essence of Yin and Yang improves the circulation of energy throughout the entire body and its internal systems. Firstly, there is the Ren Meridian, also known as the conception vessel, which begins in the perineum and runs up the front of the body along the central channel. Secondly, there is the Du Meridian, also known as the governing vessel, which begins at the tip of the coccyx and runs up the spine through the back of the body. Touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth connects these two channels. 

The Microcosmic Orbit meditation, and the more advanced Macrocosmic Orbit meditation, are Daoist meditations that improve energy circulation through both of these channels. As you practice them, your capacity to visualize will expand, your physical tension will be released, and your Third Eye will begin to open, enhancing focus, intuition, and clarity. These two audio guides are introductions to the meditations, providing a safe way to explore and integrate them into your life. They are available for purchase here

Another way to ground the self is to lay on the earth or sit on the ground, drawing impurities out of the system through connection with the earth. One simple way to do this is to step outside wherever there’s grass or dirt, creating a direct connection.

Stones can also provide the longest lasting and deepest form of healing. One example of a stone that can help anchor the self is hematite, which can be worn as a necklace or a bracelet to help with high blood pressure and to warm up the Qi. Hematite has an affinity with the pericardium, which is the storage center for built-up negative energy. Therefore, in times of anxiety and stress, it can ground and settle your energy. 

Fluorite is another stone that dissipates negative energy. It can be placed at the front of the home or inside a room, allowing the energy of the home to feel more safe and settled. It also helps calm chaotic Qi and scattered thoughts. Different colors of fluorite have different uses and target different areas. If you’re not sure which color of fluorite to use, it may be most useful to buy a multicolored fluorite. We encourage you to experiment with stones, as well as with the three tips above, as you explore and find your path toward groundedness and healing. 


From Surviving to Thriving (FSTT) is a 6-week online program designed to increase focus, clarity and calm so you can thrive — even in the most challenging and turbulent times. You’ll learn tools and practices rooted in the ancient wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine, Yoga and Daoism integrated with modern, cutting-edge research in biology, psychology and neuroscience.


The Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations help to circulate energy throughout your body through the primary source channels of Yin and Yang, known as the Du and Ren Meridians, which are also the Fire and Water pathways of the body. In this way, these meditations also connect the Fire and Water energies, cultivating Heart-Kidney communication, which helps you realize and live out your life purpose. To access these meditations, click the button below:


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(Episode 40) How to Have Harmony with the Year of the Water Tiger

Learn about the Five Elements and how to harmonize your element with the Year of the Water Tiger.

Read More

(Episode 36) 3 Ways to Support Yourself to Set Healthy Boundaries

by Setareh Moafi, PhD, L.Ac.

Click here to watch the original video of this episode.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—which of these tips would you implement first? Feel free to share any tips that have helped you establish strong boundaries in your life.

Having a balanced Earth element is essential to feel calm, secure, grounded and nourished.

When you feel more peace within, it becomes easier to make your needs, and therefore your boundaries, more clear.

Strong boundaries and a healthier relationship with yourself allows you to cultivate healthier relationships with others.

The ability to have clear boundaries is the domain of your Earth energy, which is made up of your Spleen and Stomach — the primary organs of digestion according to Chinese medicine.

The Spleen is of special importance because it’s the boundary keeper in your physical body — when the Spleen Qi is strong, your body is able to prevent leakage of Qi, blood and fluids. Weak Spleen Qi can cause excessive sweating, hemorrhaging, bruising, and even the inability to manage your energy and finances.

Weak Spleen Qi can also impede your ability to focus, and cause you to overthink and worry.

This is because the Spleen in Chinese medicine governs what’s known as the Yi, the aspect of your mind that supports mental clarity.

So anytime your body or mind has a leakage of energy, including prolapse of the organs, the Spleen needs to be strengthened.

In the same way, boundaries in your relationships arise out of your ability to properly manage your time and energy.

Anytime you say ‘no’ to something that doesn’t support you, you’re saying ‘yes’ to something that does.

Balanced Earth energy supports you to feel calm, centered and grounded. This is why you might feel like reaching out to your Earth friend or family member when things are difficult in order to feel a sense of stability.

In my life, this person is my mom, who’s the epitome of Earth energy—warm, welcoming, her home fragrant with Persian cuisine, always with an open heart and stable love to give.

Earth is about nourishment; it begins with the nourishment that you receive from suckling on your mother’s breast at birth and continues into adulthood as you learn to nourish yourself through proper self-care.

The following are three self-care tips to support your Earth energy so you can naturally create healthier boundaries.


Tip #1: Cook

Stoking your digestive fire, known as the Stomach Fire in Chinese medicine, through cooking helps fortify your Earth organ systems of digestion, the Spleen and Stomach.

If you have a resistance to cooking or think that you’re not good at it, simply begin by boiling some water, cooking some oatmeal or making a couple of hard-boiled eggs.

The simple act of standing in front of your stove or cooktop to prepare a meal helps to balance your digestive system.

Tip #2: Journal

Putting pen to paper helps organize your thoughts and calm your mind.

Remember that the Spleen is related to the Yi, the aspect of your mind that provides mental clarity and focus. Too much thinking and worrying wears down the Spleen Qi and can disrupt your digestion, sleep and deprive you of feeling calm.

Left alone, the mind is like a monkey wanting to jump from branch to branch. One of the best ways to calm the monkey mind is to write down your thoughts.

The best time to journal is first thing in the morning so that you can set a rhythm for your day. Writing later in the day will shift the focus more on the events and information that you’ve gathered throughout the day rather than what’s truly happening for you internally.

Tip #3: Manage Your Money

One of the easiest and best ways to know how you’re using your energy is to look at how you’re spending your money, which is itself a form of energy.

You can evaluate using an exercise called Counting. For one week, track every single dime that you spend and write down what you’re spending it on in a notebook or or in your cell phone.

Simply looking at the way that you’re spending your money can help you see how you’re using your energy and evaluate whether you need to consolidate it more.

Whether it’s with your work, colleagues, friends or family members, it’s essential to notice who or what is not supportive or nourishing in your life and see what you can do to change that. Remember that it all starts with self-care.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—which of these tips would you implement first? Feel free to share any tips that have helped you establish strong boundaries in your life.


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(Episode 30) Best Practices to Boost Your Immune System During the Fall Equinox

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

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration across Asian cultures during the Fall season that honors the full moon to bring an abundant harvest season.

Traditionally, mooncakes (dessert pastry with a sweet filling) are baked to be enjoyed with loved ones. It’s a day of gatherings and festivities and considered an important period of transition.


Transitions According to Chinese Calendars

Different calendars have been introduced throughout Chinese history.

Seasonal transitions are governed by the Doyo Period, making the Earth Element the fifth of the Five Elements, often called Late Summer, in the solar calendar. According to the lunar calendar, however, Autumn began back in August and this week marks the midway point of the season (thus the name Mid-Autumn Festival)setting in motion the beginnings of festivities and harvesting. 


Embracing Seasonal Transitions 

Seasonal transitions, along with any transition you may experience in lifewhether it be a new job, relationship or living situationneeds to be accompanied by health support by supporting your Earth element.

Since the Earth element is associated with your digestive system, emphasis is placed on providing adequate support to the digestive system.

Since 70% of the immune system is rooted in the digestive system, by supporting healthy digestion and elimination, we’re cultivating healthy immunity and overall wellbeing. 

According to Chinese Medicine, dampness and heat can impair the digestive system. This can range from lack of heat to break down food properly or lack of proper enzymes to break down food (called Pancreatic Insufficiency).

For people suffering from digestion problems, taking digestive enzymes as well as probiotics can be important for proper function of the digestive system. 


7 Ways to Boost Your Immune System During this Change of Seasons

  1. In order to address dampness, it’s important to control and encourage a healthy microbiome. Fungal overgrowth such as Candida albicans can cause an imbalance in your gut and so can over consumption of sugar. A healthy microbiome can also be encouraged with probiotics


  2. As the Fall season starts, dryness becomes more prevalentfrom our skin to the air we breathe. Your lungs are especially vulnerable to dryness and you can support hydration through proper cooking methods. Steaming your food is hydrating, as is eating more soups and stews during this time of the year. Congee or rice porridge is another nourishing dish (recipe here) and generally grains such as rice, millet and oats will hydrate the lungs. Baking, barbecuing and frying as well as too much consumption of dry foods such as cereal and wheat should be avoided, especially if you’re experiencing dry skin or gut issues. 


  3. Eating fruits is another way to hydrate the lungs. Since some fruits tend to be high in sugar which can lead to dampness, we can focus on consuming more compact fruits such as apples, Asian pears and pears. Compact fruits tend to be crisp, light and moist which helps to nourish the lungs. 


  4. Supporting healthy digestion of food is also very important. Taking probiotics and digestive enzymes will ensure that you’re receiving the full benefits of the food you’re eating through proper nutrition. 


  5. Eat more root vegetables: since the Metal Element is related to the Fall season, its associated organs such as the skin, Lungs and Large Intestine can suffer if they’re not properly nourished by their mother, which is the Earth Element in the Five Elements model. Issues such as eczema, psoriasis or generally dry skin can be exacerbated with improper diet this season. Root vegetables help nurture your Earth energy, strengthening your Spleen and Stomach which in turn support your Lung health. 


  6. Regardless of how healthy your eat, ensuring freedom and flexibility in your functional anatomy is essential to your health. In Episode 27 of The Natural Healing Podcast, Salvador discusses his personal experience with constant pressure in his chest and radiating pain. By working on the Ancestral Sinews with essential oils, Salvador shared how he was able experience relief. If you’re eating well but still experiencing digestive issues or otherwise, it’s essential to seek healthcare practitioners that can better address your functional anatomy. 


  7. Practice Qi Gong and Yin Yoga. You can practice Yoga to strengthen your lungs or learn to breathe deeply or practice Yoga to boost your metabolism. Qi Gong practices that boost your immunity or strengthen your Heart and Kidneys will only help enhance your health. 


    Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—what did you find most helpful about this episode?

Be the first to learn about our new line of supplements, including digestive enzymes and probiotics, by visiting www.aharabotanics.com.

(Episode 28) Sexual Healing as a Path to Longevity with Dr. Willow Brown

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

Our guest today is Dr. Willow Brown, an internationally recognized teacher of Daoist sexologist and doctor of Chinese Medicine, who specializes in endocrinology. Her offerings provide a profound understanding of what it means to engage in sacred sexuality and live a sensual life. Dr. Brown has studied the human body and its correspondence with nature for the last two decades. Her style is a blend of many modalitiessuch as yoga, Qi Gong, acupuncture and cranio-sacral therapy.

Dr. Brown is also an international speaker and author. She has coached thousands of women, men and couples in creating a powerful connection, potent intimacy and prevailing unconditional love. It is her heartfelt desire to serve humanity out of shame, guilt and self-doubt that leads those in pain to her doorsteps. 

Dr. Brown’s path to the healing arts began after gaining a sense of self-empowerment that followed a deeply traumatic event she experienced as a teenager. She felt the need to reform sexual education after realizing the ambiguity and gap in sex knowledge prevalent around her.

After attending acupuncture school, she started teaching Daoist sexology to her patients and students. Dr. Brown learned a great deal about Jing Qi or sexual energy during her six month trip around Asia. Since Jing Qi was not covered in depth in her acupuncture school training, she expanded her knowledge on the topic by consulting books and using her own experience and intuition as a guide. 

The Ancient Wisdom Approach

Dr. Brown calls her treatment framework the Ancient Wisdom Approach, which is based on the four phases of the moon cycle and how they relate to the five Chinese elements (Fire, Wood, Metal, Earth and Water). 

Dr. Brown elaborates that every living being on Earth has a moon cycle as their water contents are being influenced by the moon’s gravitational pull.

The four phases of the moon cycle also relate to the seasons and as women menstruate, they experience fluctuations since the moon exerts its energy on us. It’s a lot of energy to navigate in a short amount of time but when we understand the Chinese elements as they relate to our physiology and the four phases of the moon cycle, we can learn to schedule and manage our life (including sex) much better. Dr. Brown believes the Ancient Wisdom Approach gives peopleespecially women in their fertile yearsa lifeline so when they’re overwhelmed, a structured system exists to help guide them.

It is perfectly normal if a woman’s menstrual cycle doesn’t follow the moon cycle — you can still follow the transition of the seasons and tune into yourself and listen closely to your body and understand its natural rhythms. 

Becoming Sexually Empowered

Dr. Brown’s approach to treating people experiencing difficulty with hormonal changeswhether it’s menopause, perimenopause, postmenopause or andropauseis to trace the root of the problem and really understand if the adrenal glands are being nourished or depleted on a regular basis.

Once the endocrinological aspects of hormones are addressed either through Chinese medicine, acupuncture, nutrition or just learning about the changesour sexuality in turn will be much healthier and supported. 

Menopausal syndrome, for instance, is very common in high-stress societies and some of the most common symptoms are often attributed to being “normal”, when in fact they are not. Our essence, or Jing, is compromised when we’re constantly stressed and depleted so it’s crucial to slow down and tune into our body in order to allow it to come back to equilibrium. 

Sexual trauma is also an ever-growing problem in the world and it can have both physical and mental effects. Dr. Brown says it’s not uncommon for patients with past sexual trauma to come in with debilitating diseases, especially conditions that involve the reproductive system. 

Since our genes or curriculum are programmed during the gestational period, trauma can hinder our lower chakra, directly affecting our curriculum and keeping us from unfolding our destined life or keeping us from living a fulfilled life. 

What is Sexual Health & a Technique to Improve It

Sexual health is knowing what brings the most pleasure to you and allowing yourself to explore your natural sexual desires. When sexual health is neglected or out of balance, other realms of your life can suffer. A common problem is low libido. 

Since we’re all products of sexual energy, lack of libido can have a profoundly negative impact on our lives. When the underlying trauma or unexplored aspect of our lives are addressed properly, Dr. Brown finds that people often expand in more ways than they realize. 

Dr. Brown shares a simple but powerful practice that can improve our sexual health called Turtle Breathing. Turtle Breathing lays the foundation for all Daoist sexual practices and it can also tonify your adrenal glands. You can practice turtle breathing while standing or sitting.

Imagine you have a turtle shell on your lower back and as you inhale, you’ll push that imaginary shell toward the space behind you and as you exhale, allow the shell to come back toward your spine. In the beginning, you may find your abdomen more engaged but this will subside as you practice turtle breathing often.

Dr. Brown guides you through the turtle breathing practice at 50:39 of the podcast. 

Sexual energy or orgasmic energy can also be drawn in with a mindful practice like turtle breathing, improving your intimacy and sexual health!

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments belowon a scale of 1 to 10, how are you in relationship with your sexuality? What is inhibiting you from being at a 10?

References:

Dr. Willow Brown’s website: https://drwillowbrown.com/


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(Episode 27) A Deep Dive into Resolving Anxiety: A Classical Chinese Meridian Approach

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below what’s one small step you can take to reduce or prevent anxiety in your life?

In this episode, we discuss anxiety from a Classical Chinese meridian perspective. 

When we’re going through any type of emotional imbalance such as anxiety and depression it is really important to have tools and resources to empower us. 

Classical Chinese Medicine is especially empowering as it provides great insight into anxiety disorders, such as the important relationship between the Heart and Kidneys.

The Heart is related to the Fire element and the Kidneys relate to the Water element. 

Fire houses your shen or spirit, which is said to go into the Kidneys that hold your essence, or jing, and retrieves the curriculum that you’re meant to discover or express in the world. The curriculum is essentially your life’s purpose. Anytime there is disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys, you will not feel purposeful in life.

This is also true if there is excessive Fire in the Heart and the Kidneys are not able to anchor, so you end up experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. 

The disconnect between the Heart and Kidneys can begin at an early age, often introducing lack of self-confidence and insecurity. 

All of this is rooted in experiences and nourishment received in early developmental years which is when the Heart-Kidney relationship is established. These formative years are also important because they relate to the constitutional energetics that are associated with the unique expression of the five elements in each of our personalities. 

The expression of our Five Element energies or temperaments are especially influenced by those around us during childhood. When these natural personalities are suppressed by our parents, society, or the environment generally, it affects how our personalities are formed. 

This type of conditioning impacts our constitutional vessels or the Ancestral Vessels which relates to our hereditary qualities and connections. Specifically, it relates to our first ancestry or Chong, Du and Ren Mai. 

Chong Mai is the penetrating vessel and is considered to be the blueprints of our constitutional energetics and begins formation in utero, continuing development up until the age of 7 or 8. Chong Mai helps form the other two vessels Du Mai (Sea of Yang Qi) and Ren Mai (Sea of Yin Qi) collectively forming all of the primary meridians in Chinese Medicine acupuncture.

Chong Mai, or the Sea of Blood, makes the primary connection with our Heart and Kidneys and ultimately harmonizes this connection making us feel in-purpose and helps us quell feelings of anxiety. Insufficiency in the Heart and Kidneys can cause flare-ups so it’s essential to rebuild and reconnect the Heart-Kidney relationship.

It takes time to resolve the root cause of anxiety. That’s why it’s important to seek help from a healthcare professional. Although a temporary relief can be achieved with conventional drugs, they do not address the suppressed or the deeply rooted underlying issue.

Chinese Medicine, through acupuncture, essential oils and herbs, can provide more natural and long lasting relief. In addition, an insight into your lifestyle especially your eating habits, routines, stress levels can provide hints about the stagnation in your life and they’re worth exploring as well. 

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below what’s one small step you can take to reduce or prevent anxiety in your life?