(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 life—whether it be a new job, relationship or living situation—needs 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 prevalent—from 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?

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(Episode 26) How to Support Transformation in Your Health and Life

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 insight from this episode inspired (or triggered) you most?

This year we’ve seen especially warm record temperatures in California and in the Pacific Northwest. In this episode we explore the phenomenom of Fire as the element of transformation and how this impacts the body and overall health.

Accordin to Chinese Medicine, anything in its extremes can turn into its opposite.

During extreme heat, people often reach for cold foods and drinks. However, when these Cold factors are taken internally, they can damage the Spleen which is responsible for producing energy or Qi — and this can lead to more lethargy and cold. 

As the Spleen weakens, the Kidneys’ core energy also starts to become depleted as it works to to support the Spleen’s digestive power. This can result in conditions such as fatigue and cold feet. Even in the Summer months it’s common to see cold feet and hands, which can reflect weakness or deficiency in the Kidneys and Spleen respectively. 

The Spleen and the Stomach are the primary organs of digestion in Chinese Medicine. When the Spleen is weak, it’s inhibited from extracting Gu Qi from food that’s necessary to produce Wei Qi, which comprises your immune system.

Since about 70% of immunity is produced in the gut, compromised digestion essentially leads to a compromised immune system. 

If you’re experiencing symptoms of Cold — including lethargy, weak digestion, soft stools, low metabolism, low motivation, low thyroid function, etc. — it’s best to focus on increasing your core temperature to support and strengthen your Spleen, instead of eating cold foods and drinks, which further weaken the Spleen. 

This is why it’s common in many ancient cultures to drink tea during warm temperatures. Tea is a great alternative that helps you cool down (especially green tea).

So instead of consuming cold foods and drinks in extreme heat, the emphasis should instead be on cooling down your lifestyle by introducing calming practices like Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Chi.

This calms your nervous system, whereas consuming cold foods disturbs your internal systems by abruptly bringing cold internally.

We’ve discussed the effects of cold (and tips to overcome cold affiliated conditions) in greater detail in a previous episode.

How you eat is also important to support and improve your digestive health. A small shift like taking the time to chew your food properly and removing distractions while eating helps ease tension in your digestive system. 

Now, we want to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below — what insight from this episode inspired (or triggered) you most?

Now is your time — to make the changes in your life and health that’ll support you to live the life of your dreams.

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(Episode 16) Emergency Acupuncture and Hydration Tips You Need to Know

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 the greatest insight you took away from this episode?

In this episode, Salvador shares a recent traumatic but profound personal experience that demonstrates the true healing power of acupuncture and proper hydration. 

After finding his father unresponsive in the back of the car, Salvador performed emergency acupuncture, focusing on a few crucial acupuncture points that ultimately helped his father regain consciousness.

After being evaluated by medical doctors, it was also determined that his father was severely dehydrated. Through proper hydration, Salvador’s father has seen tremendous improvement in his overall health and energy— even engaging in activities he hasn’t for months!

Emergency Acupuncture Points to Know

Below you’ll find the emergency acupuncture points that Salvador used to treat his father. Listen to the episode for details and to learn more.

St-36 (Stomach 36, called "Zu San Li", meaning 'Leg Three Miles') - located four fingers width below the patella on the lateral side of the tibia. 

Du-26 (named 'Shui Gou' for Water Trough) - located above the midpoint of the philtrum below the nostrils. This point is also called 'Ren Zhong' meaning Human Center for it's association as a point that connects the central Yin and Yang channels.

Ki-1 (Kidney 1, "Yong Quan', meaning 'Bubbling Spring') - Ki-1 is the only Jing-Well point not located at the tip of a digit. It’s location is below the ball of the foot, between the 2nd and 3rd toes.

Jing-Well ('Jing' meaning 'Well' for it's correspondence to an area where Qi rises up to the surface of the Meridians). There are Jing-Well points at the tip of each toe and finger at the base of the nail bed. Look for the puffiest, reddest or darkest areas to apply pressure.

What is proper hydration?

After finding out his father’s condition was likely caused by dehydration, Dr. Setareh & Salvador emphasize the importance of proper hydration—which is more than drinking enough water. Proper hydration means drinking quality water that includes the vital trace minerals and electrolytes that our cells need to carry out important functions.

Certain water purification processes like reverse osmosis strips water of its minerals. One way to remedy the insufficiency that’s caused from stripping these minerals is to add the minerals back to your diet with sea salt, which naturally contains trace minerals that are needed for thyroid, adrenal and immune functions. 

Darker salts such as Celtic sea salt and pink Himalayan salt are especially rich in trace minerals. Standard white sea salt found in most grocery stores are also a good source of trace minerals, however, keep in mind that many are bleached and processed.

Table salt, on the other hand, is the most denatured and least nutritious salt available.

When consumed, your body tries to keep the toxic chemicals contained in table salt away from your heart—and this is primarily why doctors often recommend patients with hypertension to avoid salt. 

The minerals contained in healthy salts help hydrate and alkalize the body, balance potassium-sodium ratios and provide essential electrolytes. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, trace minerals help anchor Yang Qi, which supports the Liver and provides vital energy. 

Another way to effectively hydrate your body is to consume more soups. One example is Congee, which is a staple in Chinese cuisine and we’ve previously shared its benefits and recipe here.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — What’s the greatest insight you took away from this episode?

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(Episode 11) 3 tips to Have a Healthy Transition Into Spring

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what’s the biggest insight you took away from this episode?

The transition between each season is known in Japanese as the Doyo period. According to one of the foremost classical texts of Chinese Medicine, Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, this 18-day period leading up to each Solstice or Equinox is one of the most important times to make dietary and lifestyle adjustments to support your health.

In Five Element theory this period is governed by the Earth element, which is why the Earth element organs — the Spleen, Stomach and Pancreas — are most vulnerable to imbalance and disease, and therefore especially need protection and support during this time.

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

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

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

The Spleen is especially important as it supports your immune system.

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

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

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

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

3 Tips to Support Your Earth for a Healthy Spring Transition

With the transition into Spring, it’s important to reduce the burden on the Spleen and Stomach organs systems, strengthen your digestion and cool the heat in the Liver in order to prevent irritability and allergies. Here are three tips that can support a healthy transition during this Doyo period:

  1. Reduce or avoid sugar and other damp-producing foods. Foods like cheese, nuts (especially peanuts and cashews) and especially sugar can produce a fungal terrain in the body which impairs your digestion and immunity and therefore should be avoided as much as possible during this time.

  2. Avoid eating cold foods. Too much cold food compromises the strength of your Spleen Qi, which is essential for transforming the food you eat into nutrients. Click here to learn why this tip is especially important in episode 10.

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what’s the biggest insight you took away from this episode?

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(Episode 10) How Salads and Smoothies Can Impede Weight Loss

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

Health trends often encourage a diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables to maximize the enzymes and nutrients available in these foods. But what if we told you those same nutrition-packed smoothies and salads may be contributing to weight gain, fatigue and a slower metabolism?

More important than how much nutrition is in foods is your body's ability to absorb nutrients.

According to Chinese Medicine, nutrition is food + digestion, which means that no matter what you eat, your digestion needs to be healthy first.

In this episode, you'll hear about the shift Dr. Moafi made in her dietary health after connecting the dots with her health issues when she was eating what she thought was a “healthy” diet filled with salads, smoothies and cold drinks.

You’ll learn about the 8 principles of Chinese Medicine and how applying these principles to your food and lifestyle choices can optimize your health and weight loss goals.

The 8 Principles

According to Chinese Medicine, the 8 Principles that guide diagnosis are Yin and Yang, internal and external, hot and cold, excess and deficiency.

The 8 Principles are rooted in the Daoist principles of Yin and Yang, which are both the foundation of all of life as well as the foundation of Chinese diagnosis.

Yin is anything that’s more cooling, quiet, contemplative and slow. In nature, it’s most closely related to nighttime and the moon. On the other hand, Yang is more warming, active, extroverted, and fast. In nature, it’s most closely related to the daytime and the sun.

From there you can understand the other six principles: cold and hot, internal and external, and excess and deficiency.

The Perils of Cold

Cold is a common factor that can become pathological if the weather is too cold as well as through a diet that’s too cold.

Internally, cold is generated by diet such as a lot of raw food, including smoothies and Western pharmaceutical drugs especially those which suppress inflammation, pain and the immune system or antibiotics.

Cold constricts Qi and its movement, which can create both sharp pain as well as stiffness. Internally, it can manifest as gut pain and menstrual pain, as well as infertility if the cold lodges into the reproductive system.

Cold freezes pain and inflammation to bring temporary relief, but Cold also freezes the problem into the tissues and inhibits the circulation of Yang Qi and blood, both of which are needed for longterm healing. Yang Qi is metabolic energy that creates body warmth and supports healthy immunity. Once the Yang Qi is compromised, a person's healing capacity is weakened.

Hyptertension medication for example lowers blood pressure while suppressing the Yang Qi and therefore inducing cold internally that can manifest as erectile dysfunction.

Birth control medication similarly can induce cold and cause stagnation.

A person with Yang Qi insufficiency will show signs of fatigue, low metabolism, gets sick easily and tends to feel cold.

Cold leads to the stagnation of circulation and pain and can also be induced by working in a cold environment such as the fish department in a grocery store. Arthritis conditions can develop over long term exposure to cold environments. 

For any condition of cold and to counter the effects of cold from medication or your environment, it’s essential to focus on warming your core energy.

Tips to Counter the Effects of Cold

One of the most essential tips is to avoid drinking cold drinks or adding ice to your drinks. So drink more hot water with ginger or turmeric or even just room temperature drinks.

Another tip is to soak your body or just your feet in warm water to increase your core temperature.

Hot packs are another great way to warm your body — place a hot pack on your lower back, lower abdomen or at the base of your neck, especially if you have cold limbs or experience headaches or neck stiffness.

The most important thing is to remember that eating a lot of cold foods like salads, smoothies and yogurt will induce cold internally over time. This will make you feel colder, slow down your metabolism and inhibit you from losing weight over time.

The Spleen Qi regulates your metabolism and when it’s taxed, the Spleen won’t be able to create Qi and therefore won’t be able to regulate the metabolism.

At first, eating a lot of salads can result in weight loss especially if you’ve been eating a diet rich in carbohydrates, sugars or any type of refined foods. However, over time, as this cold food taxes the Spleen Qi, your digestion and metabolism will be compromised and therefore the transformation and transportation function of the Spleen is impacted. Since the mind is an extension of the Spleen according to Chinese Medicine, the mental processes including your memory and concentration may be impacted by weakness in the Spleen Qi.

Diarrhea, fatigue, poor memory and poor concentration are all common symptoms of Spleen Qi weakness.

A great way to strengthen your Spleen Qi is to eat more warm, nourishing foods including congee, which you can learn all about in this article.

In general, remember to:

  1. Eat fewer cold foods and drinks

  2. Keep your body warm with hot baths or foot soaks as well as the use of hot packs.

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

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(Episode 4) Spice Up Your Life: Using Culinary Spices & Essential Oils to Increase Your Zest for Life

Once you’ve listened to the episode, share your experience or questions in the comments below!

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

Spices are a part of all our lives because we consume various ones in our diet.

Culinary spices have many health benefits. The use of culinary spices help increase your appetite for food, but metaphorically they help increase your appetite - or zest - for life.

One way we can extract their therapeutic value is in the form of Essential Oils. Besides cooking with spices, you can also use essential oils made of seeds and leaves that are used as culinary spices for mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

In this episode, we discuss some of the special reasons why adding more spice is important to improve your mood and life.

There are two important categories of spices in essential oils - seeds and leaves. Seeds target the Spleen Qi and digestive system in general whereas leaves support the respiratory system and Lung Qi.

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Seed Essential Oils

Seed oils include Coriander (cilantro seed), Cumin, Cardamom, and Caraway. In general, seed oils regulate Qi to reduce bloating, gas and abdominal pain, as well as to normalize bowel movements.

Seeds are the part of the plant that germinate to create the life of a new plant. In this way, seeds resonate with our body’s own germination or what we know of as the reproductive system. The reproductive system correlates with the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine, so seeds have a strong impact on supporting reproductive health.

The Kidney organ in Chinese Medicine not only relates to the reproductive organs such as the ovaries of a woman and the gonads of a man, but also the endocrine system in general which produces hormones to regulate many metabolic functions of the body. 

The Kidney’s energy therefore relates to the adrenal glands which produce stress and sexual hormones, all the way up to the Master endocrine gland in the brain, called the Pituitary gland.

In fact, the brain is the seat of the Kidney’s Essence, called Jing so seeds have a powerful impact on brain health and function.


Leaf Essential Oils

In addition, there are culinary herbs and spices derived from leaves. According to Chinese Medicine, leaves help spread the Qi, especially of the Lungs and Heart.

Spreading the Qi helps the Lung’s let go of trapped emotions held in the chest and also to release trapped pathology such as bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory related illnesses.

Leaf oils including Thyme, Oregano, Lemongrass, and Rosemary to support respiration.

Many of these oils are mucolytic to help break up congestion in the lungs and sinuses. Thyme has been proven to be antiviral and antibacterial and, depending on the variety used, can also help eradicate candida albicans. Oregano is antimicrobial and kills parasites and yeast. Rosemary, like Eucalyptus, is antiviral so it can effectively help treat colds and flus.

You can learn more about some of the best essential oils to support immunity in this article.

A unique leaf oil that we love to drink as a tea at home is Lemon Verbena. Lemon Verbena helps diffuse Lung Qi to help with bronchial issues, but it also helps cool the heart to help reduce anxiety and depression and improve sleep.


Summary

Seeds, generally speaking, help to gather and consolidate energy and support bringing energy into the body’s center for digestive support.

Leaves on the other hand, in addition to stimulating digestive function, help to invigorate the movement of blood and fluids throughout the body to support systemic circulation of the blood and lymphatics.

Most of the spices induce a warming quality on the body, so they have an invigorating and stimulating effect on the digestion, the mind, and the circulation.

A few spices such as Lemon Verbena, Peppermint, Sage and Sweet Marjoram have a cooling effect and therefore can support relaxing and calming a hyped up nervous system for people suffering from irritability, anxiety and general nervousness.

The use of culinary spices and essential oils is an easy way to improve your digestion and lift your mood. Spices help warm your Kidney Yang, which is especially important during the Winter months, but is also essential to keep your core energy and Essence, known as Jing, strong.

Since the Earth element is related to nourishment and made up of the primary organs of digestion - the Spleen and Stomach - it’s no wonder that cooking in general and especially with the use of culinary spices can enhance your Earth energy by improving your appetite and sense of nourishment.

The feeling of depression is often associated with a depressed Lung Qi. In other words, when the Lung energy cannot diffuse, you’re likely to feel more sad and depressed. Leaf oils such as Thyme, Rosemary and Lemon Verbena can help to lift your mood and therefore help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with depression. (You can read more about using essential oils with symptoms related to depression here).

Be sure to add some spice to your diet - especially in the morning - to spice up your day, and life!


How to use spices & essentials to lift your mood at home:

  1. Drink Lemon Verbena tea - Lemon Verbena is cooling and therefore helps with anxiety depression and insomnia. You can purchase the dried leaves or grow a plant in your patio or garden and either steep the fresh or dried leaves in hot water to drink as a tea.

  2. Add some spice to your breakfast - adding a dash of Cardamom or Cinnamon to a breakfast of warm grains such as oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth can help improve your circulation, warm your belly and lift your mood.

  3. Smell or diffuse essential oils - Clove or Peppermint or great pick-me-ups that make great personal companions to lift your energy and mood, or simply diffuse to cleanse the air in your home. (Just be careful if you have pets around as some essential oils can be toxic to them at high doses)

Let us know in the comments - which spices do you do you use in your cooking and which ones would you love to try?