(Episode 37) Heal Your Gut & Reverse Aging with this Comfort Food

Click here to watch the original video of this episode.

In Chinese culture, porridge, known as congee, is an essential food for health and rejuvenation.

Congee is essentially a thick soup that can be made using a variety of different grains and sometimes legumes such as adzuki and mung beans.

Though rice is traditionally the most common grain used for this soup, millet and barley are common substitutes because of their unique therapeutic properties.

Millet has the ability to nourish the Yin of the Lungs and Stomach to support hydration and barley is used to nourish blood, cool the Liver and strengthen the digestive system when there is bloating and a weak appetite. Barley can also help build muscle and drain excessive fluid stagnation.

The History of Congee as Medicine

The popularization of congee for medicinal purposes goes back to the Tang Dynasty, the period between 618 to 907 AD, considered to be one of the glorious and progressive periods of civilization in Chinese history. 

Much later during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), one of the most prominent physicians in the history of Chinese Medicine, Li Shi-zhen listed 62 medicinal congees in his classic herbal compendium called Ben Cao Gan Mu, or The Great Outline of Materia Medica.

Today, congee has become a daily staple in Chinese cuisine and an important part of healing regimens for people with digestive disorders and general weakness.

Hydration as a Basis for Yin Nourishment

The Yin aspect of the body relates to the fluids and its structure. Therefore, hydration along with protein dense foods that nourish collagen are critical to maintain your Yin and keep your body’s tissues moist, your joints supple, your skin and muscles firm, your hair lustrous and blood vessels strong. 

The word collagen is rooted in the Greek word '“kolla” meaning glue, denoting the important function of collagen to help maintain the integrity and elasticity of your structure.

As we’ve all experienced, when glue dries up it loses its ability to bind and hold things together. The same thing happens as we age—our collagen dries up and the body gets brittle and flabby.

Your body’s hormones are also a form of Yin.  As Yin declines with aging, the hormones become depleted and along with this development are symptoms of dryness including dry skin, dry joints, dry eyes, and dry mucous membranes.

The decline of Yin is a natural process of aging, but this process of degeneration can be sped up or slowed down depending on your lifestyle.

Yin dries up when heat is generated by the body through any form of excess in your life.

This can be a result of overwork, excessive exercise, excessive exposure to the sun, excessive use of stimulants, alcohol and certain medications, and excessive sexual activity.

How to Support Your Yin

Diet is a key component to support the nourishment of your Yin.

If your diet is moistening and hydrating, your Yin will tend to be healthy. On the other hand, if your diet is too drying which generates heat, this will tend to damage your Yin and lead to accelerated aging.

What you eat thus makes a huge difference in maintaining your constitutional Yin and your exposure to foods that are drying, overheating and overstimulating all contribute to a more rapid deterioration of your Yin.

Since your dietary choices determine to a great extent how you nourish your Yin, this gives you the power to support this critical aspect of your body and your life.

According to Chinese Medicine, the Spleen and Stomach organs are the basis of postnatal nourishment by supporting the production of Stomach Yin.

Stomach Yin equates to the fluids generated by the digestive process that maintain the Yin for all the other systems of the body.

Stomach Fluids as the Basis of Wellness

The Yin produced by the Stomach is called the Jin-Ye which is simply known as the Stomach Fluids.  In Chinese Medicine, however, the Jin and the Ye are different types of fluids that support different structures.

Jin is considered to be the Thin Fluids and Ye is the Thick Fluids.

A western medical association would be the fluids produced and released by the exocrine glands are Thin Fluids and fluids released by the endocrine glands are Thick Fluids.

Exocrine glands secrete fluid through ducts both internally and to the exterior of the body. Endocrine glands, on the other hand, secrete fluids (including hormones) directly into the blood to regulate metabolism, growth, reproduction and other functions.

The Thin ‘Jin’ exocrine fluids moisten the sensory orifices including the eyes, nose, mouth and ears so they can function properly and discharge fluids to the exterior.

The Thin Fluids also nourish the skin to produce sweat and help nourish the skin, the hair and the sinews to keep the tendons strong and supple.  

The Thin Jin fluids also transform into Wei Qi, which is not a liquid but a gaseous state that flows both internally and externally to provide protection as it supports your immune system. Through the transformation of the Thin Jin Fluids into Wei Qi, the thyroid gland also gets supported by the Stomach’s Yin.

The Thick Ye endocrine fluids, on the other hand, condense and become heavy which draws the thick Ye fluids inward into the level of something solid to nourish the organs, the bones, the marrow, and the brain. 

The Thick Ye Fluids are also the basis for the body’s sexual reproductive hormones indicating how diet is key in supporting not only fertility but also regeneration of the body.

Eat Congee to Nourish Your Stomach Yin

Soups and stews are a fundamental way to nourish your fluids and support all of these important systems.

The basic recipe to cook soupy rice congee is as follows:

1. Preparation: rinse the rice. For long grain and especially brown rice, after rinsing cover the rice with water in a bowl and soak overnight in the refrigerator. Pour the water out then cook. This will allow the rice to break-up more in the cooking process and create a creamier porridge.

2. Cook 1 cup rice to 5-8 cups of water to create a soupy gruel. The more starchy short-grain rice makes for a more creamy congee but long grain basmati and brown rice can also be used. First bring the water to boil, add the rice and reduce the flame to a simmer.

3. Add sea salt or pink Himalayan salt to taste. Cook for 2 or more hours depending on the consistency you want to create.

   If you intend to create a soupy congee, put more water and cook longer. If you want a more savory and nourishing congee, substitute Bone Broth for a portion of the water.

Congee can also be prepared in a crock pot overnight.

Modifications:

Add 5 individual scallions (green onion) chopped with about 1 inch chunk of ginger sliced or diced.

Scallions and ginger are included especially when a person feels an acute chill and body aches with early onset of a cold. If a person tends to just feel sensitivity to cold, a weak appetite, symptoms of nausea, then simply adding ginger is best to warm up the Spleen and Stomach and enhance digestion.

Ginger is also anti-inflammatory and therefore benefits indigestion or gastric upset due to stomach inflammation caused by a deficiency of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid/HCL), or what is called Cold in the Stomach according to Chinese Medicine.

To add more protein to your congee, you can consider stirring in about 5 grams of Collagen Peptides and this can be consumed 2-3 times per day.

And as the photo suggests, you can add in meat and vegetables to your cooked congee to create a more wholesome meal.

When to Be Cautious with Regular Consumption of Congee

Even though one of the great benefits of congee is its hydrating property, the most common grain used for its preparation is rice which is a diuretic. Therefore if you suffer from frequent or excessive urination, known as polyuria, you need to eat rice congee with some caution so as to not overstimulate the loss of fluids. 

Polyuria is often rooted in a Qi deficiency and more severely excessive urination can be associated with a Yang deficiency if a person is also very cold and weak. 

In addition, barley and mung beans are often eaten as porridge for detoxification and these too are diuretics. So extra caution needs to be taken if excessive urination is a problem since diuretics will further drain the Qi and exhaust the Yang making a person colder and weaker.

Therefore, if you want to use congee to build back the strength of your digestive system and polyuria is a concern, I suggest using millet rather than rice or barley to reduce the diuretic effect of your porridge.

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(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 35) A Secret Trick to Prevent a Cold

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—did you get a similar advice from your family growing up?

Click here to watch the original video of this episode.

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

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

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

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

The answer isn’t so simplistic.

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

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

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

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

Your Immune System: The Sinew Meridians & Your Wei Qi

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

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

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

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

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

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

How You Can Support Your Wei Qi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now that you know, I’d love to hear in the comments how you’re going to take action with these insights—what advice you got from your family growing up?

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(Episode 34) Welcoming Food with Andrew Sterman (Part 2 of 2)

Click here to listen to part one of our interview with Andrew Sterman

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—how has this conversation shifted your perspective on simplifying food?

In the second part of our interview with Andrew Sterman, we delve deeper into how to cultivate health through Classical Chinese Dietary Therapy. 

Everything we consume is not necessarily absorbed or digested by our body so regardless of how healthy we’re eating, if our digestive system or overall health is suffering, we may never reap the nutritional value offered by the healthy food we consume.

Cold food and drinks, for example, can inhibit the Stomach’s ability to digest properly according to Chinese Medicine and is said to insult the Lungs and Stomach.
A simple switch to warm and appropriately cooked food can lead to better digestive health and improved energy levels.

Andrew believes providing tools along with sharing his teachings are the best way to guide people to make healthier choices. In the two volume series of his books Welcoming Food, Andrew Sterman provides a foundation on nutrition—which is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of health. Andrew Sterman hopes one’s intuition will eventually guide them towards healthier and more nutritious food. 

Diet as Medicine and Simplifying Food

Diet is medicine. We’ve all heard this before but what does that really entail?

Andrew Sterman suggests we look at the larger picture that often reveals a pattern of habits that accumulate with the potential to affect our health. With diet, we understand one slice of cake or a bowl of ice cream is not damaging unless you’re suffering from a health condition such as diabetes or otherwise.

When food is consumed often enough, it can potentially become medicinal and influence our health—for better or worse. This is what we need to keep in mind. If we want to support healing, we have to address and identify patterns and habits in our diet that can have a negative impact on our wellbeing. 

While food shortage and inequity in the access of food are prevalent around the world and should be rightfully acknowledged, affluent countries on the other hand have turned food into an entertainment industry with extravagant flavors and nuances emerging everyday to keep up with the demand. Andrew Sterman emphasizes that this is not necessary and simplification should be favored over overshadowing unnatural and indigestible food. When the ingredients are good, you would be surprised to learn how dramatically flavors are enhanced. 

We have to eat meals that we can personally digest or what Andrew Sterman calls clear meals. Meals should be prepared in a way that acknowledges the changes we experience in our lives and the diversity that exists in our digestive health. What may feel like a good meal to one individual may not feel like a good meal to another. 

Generally, Andrew Sterman recommends reconsidering how we think about food. For those who are healthy, for instance, switching fructose based sweets to maltose is a much healthier option for the liver. It soothes digestion and is traditionally used in Chinese Medicine.

Andrew Sterman asks that you also reconsider recipes, especially baking recipes that often call for two or more cups of sugar. Instead of completely eliminating foods that  you enjoy, look at ways to cut down the sugar and substitute it with healthier and delicious alternatives that balance your meal rather well. For instance, instead of using the two  cups of granulated sugar listed in the recipe, use one cup of barley malt and honey that expands the taste dimensions of the food and also nourishes your body. 

Sterman shares a wealth of knowledge in the two volumes of Welcoming Food, where he explains the energetics of food and also shares delicious and wholesome recipes.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—how has this conversation shifted your perspective on simplifying food?

References:

Andrew Sterman’s website: https://www.andrewsterman.com/

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(Episode 33) Welcoming Food with Andrew Sterman (Part 1 of 2)

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—which insight most provoked your interest from our conversation? 

Click here to listen to part two of our interview with Andrew Sterman

About Andrew Sterman

Andrew Sterman is the author of Welcoming Food: Diet as Medicine for Home Cooks and Other Healers (Classical Wellness Press, 2020).  Book 1 explains Food Energetics and Healing from a Chinese medicine perspective, and book 2 is Recipes and Kitchen Practice, with each recipe decoded for energetics and strategy.  Based in New York City, Andrew works with clients in person and over video in the areas of dietary therapy, medical Qi Gong and meditation, and writes a regular column for the Golden Flower Chinese Herbs newsletter.  His inviting and intimate style of online teachings have a growing international popularity, drawing together home cooking, dietary therapy, healing through Qi Gong, meditation, and the idea that complex teachings can be made simple and put to use by everyone.  

Andrew first entered Chinese Medicine through Qi Gong and Tai chi in 1988. He began studying the healing potential of food at the same time by enrolling at the Natural Gourmet Cookery School. Seeking to deepen his understanding of food energetics, Andrew began formal study of Chinese herbal medicine, diagnostics, medical theory, and dietary therapy with Master Jeffrey Yuen in 2001.

Andrew’s parallel career as a professional musician enables him to travel extensively and learn from chefs of many cultures, further inspiring him to discover unique ways to incorporate food and healing into daily cooking routines.

At home, Andrew cooks for his wife, author and acupuncturist Ann Cecil-Sterman, and their two children.

Chinese Medicine and Dietetics 

Andrew Sterman found music at an early age, which has since remained an important part of his life as he continues to practice music professionally, but considers music a form of healing art as well—most recently helping artists navigate their health issues through Chinese Medicine.

In addition to training extensively in music, Andrew Sterman has been cultivating resources offered by Chinese Medicine in his formal studies and relaying them to his clients and also integrating them into his books by offering simple and manageable ways to incorporate healthy habits using Chinese Medicine. 

As a student of the 88th generation Daoist Master Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, Andrew Sterman looks for ways to extend the teachings of Dr. Yuen to his clients in an accessible way without belittling the vast and complex teachings of Chinese Medicine, especially regarding nutrition.

As an author whose work focuses on Food Energetics, Andrew Sterman says there is an overwhelming amount of force keeping us from changing our dietary practices for the better, often finding ourselves stuck in the same place without a clear understanding of how to move forward.

Sterman’s approach with clients struggling with health issues or those looking to embrace healthy eating includes keeping goals realistic in order to achieve progress, and encouraging clients to get creative when finding places to meditate or taking it slow when reducing sugar in their diet.

Since everything around us is constantly changing, Sterman emphasizes that we should embrace conscious evolution, where we take part in changes happening to us and those around us.

With diet being an important aspect of our health, a change in diet and healthy lifestyle may feel uncomfortable at first but it has a beautiful way of transforming how we think about nourishment and health.

Andrew Sterman also notices that he often introduces his clients to more food rather than placing restrictions on what they can eat. The misconception that healthy food is not tasty or very restrictive can also keep us from building a better relationship with food which often has the power to transform our health. 

Even those following a healthy diet and lifestyle can find themselves suffering from debilitating health conditions and Andrew Sterman often finds that a shift in perspective often helps ease or eliminate the suffering altogether. For example, Sterman encourages those consuming a lot of raw foods like salads and smoothies to instead cook and consume warm foods.

With balanced meals that incorporate western nutrient content while protecting digestion, Andrew Sterman has successfully helped clients struggling to conceive to those suffering from fatigue and digestive issues. 

Since food and diet are very personal, people can’t follow a single diet or regimen all the time. As we change, so should our diet. Although working with professionals specializing in nutrition from a Chinese Medicine perspective is ideal, a simple change you can start making today is avoiding cold foods and nourishing your body with warm soups and stews instead. 

Stay tuned for the second part of our interview with Andrew Sterman where we continue discussing self-healing with Chinese Medicine dietetics. 

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—which insight most provoked your interest from our conversation? 

References:

Andrew Sterman’s website: https://www.andrewsterman.com/

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(Episode 32) Two Surprisingly Simple Ways to Boost Your Immune System

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments which tip did you find most helpful?

Click here to watch the original video of this episode.

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

Tip #1: Hydrate

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

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

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

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

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

Simply drinking adequate amounts of water helps hydrate these organs, but it’s also important to eat hydrating foods such as soups (try Mung Bean & Turnip Soup) and stews as well as to steam and boil rather than fry or bake foods (which increase dryness) to support hydration even more. Congree is also a great hydrating food (recipe here).

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

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

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

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

Tip #2: Diffuse Immune Boosting Essential Oils

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summary

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

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

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

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Thank you!

(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?

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

(Episode 29) Your Issues are in Your Tissues: How Trauma Can Lead to Chronic Pain with Denise Alberto

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—how is your body speaking to you?

Our guest today is our dear friend, Denise Alberto—a physical therapist and pelvic pain specialist. Denise is a Bay Area native who earned her B.S. in Psychology from St. Mary’s College and holds a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine.

Denise Alberto developed a keen interest in treating the spine, especially the pelvic/SI (sacroiliac) region. With continued education, she has developed a unique approach to treating chronic pain syndrome and pelvic region dysfunction.

Denise Alberto has a distinct passion to help couples with unconsummated marriage and sexual pain issues. In addition, she emphasizes the mind-body connection in her post-traumatic stress recovery and resorts to local practitioners—among them are acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists—to help heal her patients.

Denise Alberto realized her passion for physical therapy early on, as she began working for a physical therapist after graduating from college. She went on to obtain her Master’s in Physical Therapy and started a thriving but demanding practice. It was during her early years of practice as a physical therapist that Denise Alberto realized her own health needed attention.

Denise’s personal journey to address her health led her to a very resourceful course on pelvic health that encouraged her to further pursue the specialty, eventually becoming a pelvic physical therapist. 

Denise emphasizes that in addition to using physical touch during treatments, she encourages patients to face the emotional entanglements of their trauma. It is only through facing these entanglements that we begin to experience emotional and physiological healing.

Denise elaborates that as a therapist she holds room or space for strength so patients are able to process and release wounds that are causing their trauma, especially since patients may feel at their most vulnerable during these moments. 

Chronic pain patterns are often accompanied by uncomfortable feelings or past experiences and Denise believes that additional support is often needed to tackle these feelings as she works with healing the physical body.

In these instances, she turns to other healers like acupuncturists, massage therapists and often refers her patients to psychologists. This holistic approach that aims to empower patients almost always results in healing. 

Practices to help support your body

Diaphragmatic breath: helps relax and support lung function (oxygen exchange).

Pelvic diaphragm breathing: can help move your viscera and ease tension in your organs. 

Psoas stretching: can help improve and strengthen tight or tense psoas muscles.

Yin Yoga: the following Yin Yoga practices can be helpful in improving your flexibility and introducing you to deep breathing:

Breathe Deeply: Yoga for the Lung & Liver Meridians

Yin Yoga Integration to Release Your Arms, Shoulders & Neck

Yin Yoga Integration for Flexibility 

References:

Denise Alberto’s website: https://www.denisealberto.com/

An article by Dr. Mirkin (coined the RICE method) on Why Ice Delays Recovery

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below—how is your body speaking to you?

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(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 modalities—such 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 people—especially women in their fertile years—a 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 changes—whether it’s menopause, perimenopause, postmenopause or andropause—is 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 changes—our 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 below—on 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?

(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.

2023 enrollment for the From Surviving to Thriving online course begins for a limited time on August 1st!
You’ll get lifetime access to the course content so you can learn at your own pace, feel supported, and be part of a community of likeminded people.
Click here to join the VIP waitlist and get your FREE eBook, 3 Toxic Beliefs that Keep You Stuck in Survival Mode, now!

(Episode 25) How to Manage Stress to Experience More Joy

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

Enrollment for the From Surviving to Thriving online course reopens for a limited time on August 1-18, 2023. Click here to join the VIP waitlist and get your FREE eBook, 3 Toxic Beliefs That Keep You Stuck in Survival Mode.

In the previous episode we discussed the perils of excessive Heart Fire, but the Heart is also associated with other powerful emotions like joy, passion, love, creativity, and altruism.

We experience these aspects of an open Heart through a calm and centered presence, which can sometimes seem unattainable or unreachable.

In this episode we discuss a powerful way to help you achieve a balanced state in your Heart, and in doing so, you’ll experience more joy. 

The main stressors of life are ever-present and stress is a natural and necessary part of our livelihood. In the morning, the stress hormone cortisol helps us wake up and fuel the start of our day, although high levels of cortisol can cause anxiety and discomfort. Stress in general can trigger and enable us to accomplish and move so it is needed to a certain degree. 

The question becomes how we can manage this stress so it doesn't dominate our life?

One key aspect is the Heart-Kidney relationship (discussed in a previous episode) that’s usually affected by an imbalance of stress in our lives. In order to harmonize the Heart-Kidney relationship, the in-between Wood element needs to be addressed.

Wood is a very reactive energy that needs to be tempered with harmonization of the Liver and relaxation of the nervous system.

Since the associated Liver organ of the Wood element helps with the smooth flow of Qi or energy, it essentially tempers the stress response, allowing you to settle your Heart and experience more joy.

Calming your Liver Qi changes your reactivity and allows you to cultivate peace that improves the quality of your life. 

Want to learn easy ways to calm your Liver so you can bring more joy & calm to your life—even during the most turbulent times?
Join us for the From Surviving to Thriving online course. 2023 enrollment begins for a limited time on August 1st!
Click here to join the VIP waitlist and get your FREE eBook, 3 Toxic Beliefs that Keep You Stuck in Survival Mode, now!

(Episode 24) 4 Tips to Reduce Anxiety by Cooling Your Heart Fire

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — which takeaway will you apply to balance the Fire element in your life?

In this episode we discuss the role of the Fire element as it relates to anxiety. This is especially relevant during the Fire season of Summer but also to for anyone generally struggling with anxiety yearlong.

During Summer, Fire energy is naturally more exuberant and conditions like insomnia and nervousness become much more prevalent. 

People in the Southern Hemisphere who are not in the Fire season may also experience Fire related imbalances. Diet, life stressors and challenging life circumstances can all determine whether Fire energy becomes more pronounced, leading to anxiety. 

In Chinese Medicine, this imbalance is attributed to the Heart and Kidney relationship. In Western medicine, we often accredit this to an imbalance of the hormone cortisol caused by overstimulation of the adrenal glands. In Chinese Medicine the Kidney organ system also encompasses the adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, and govern the reproductive and urinary systems. The Kidneys also play a major role in controlling energy output to the Heart.

Excessive Fire in the Heart creates heat or inflammation that can also thicken the blood over time leading to clotting or stagnation.

Ultimately these imbalances can lead to cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. 

Diet is a major force in creating excess Fire—driven by high sugar content in our modern diet as well as excessive protein consumption in high protein diets such as the ketogenic diet.

In fact any diet advocating for excess amounts of a specific food can create energy imbalances so focusing on a personalized nutrition with your current health condition in mind is the best approach.

Since excess amount of anything — be it carbohydrates, protein, exercise, stress or even sex — can exacerbate Heat, moderation is the key to a balanced and healthy body. 

The natural state of Fire energy is to be calm, present and centered. More often than not we find ourselves burned out by doing excessive activities or taxing our adrenal glands and Kidneys and compromising their ability to temper the Fire of the Heart. This can lead to insomnia, anxiety and restlessness. 

Although Fire imbalance is especially prevalent in our modern society, there is still hope in addressing the root causes of the imbalance with Chinese Medicine.

Heart-Kidney communication is essential as the Kidney Water cools Heart Fire and the Kidneys are in turn stimulated by the Heart to encourage self-love and healing. 

4 Tips to Cool Heart Fire:

1. Stay hydrated to support proper circulation of Qi and blood. It also helps keep the Heat balanced. 

2. Eat more leafy green vegetables including spinach, chard and dandelion greens to cool your Heart and help it relax. Keep in mind to cook the vegetables.

3. Add adequate sea salt or other natural mineral salts to your food or water to support the Kidneys. We’ve discussed the essential role of salt in a previous episode. 

4. Eat more root vegetables to nourish the Spleen and help anchor your Qi. 

Joy is associated with the Heart element so when you help the Heart relax, you can naturally experience and express more joy. 

Want to learn easy ways to bring more joy and calm to your life, even during the most turbulent times?
Join us for the From Surviving to Thriving online course. 2023 enrollment begins for a limited time on August 1st! Click here to join the VIP waitlist and get your FREE eBook, 3 Toxic Beliefs that Keep You Stuck in Survival Mode, now!

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — which takeaway will you implement to balance the Fire element in your life?

(Episode 23) Get Unstuck by Healing Your Ancestry with Liza Miron

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — how did this conversation help deepen your awareness to heal the wounds of your ancestry?

Liza Miron’s Journey to Discover Family Constellations

Liza Miron’s passion is to help people grow, develop and connect to a higher level of awareness in order to enjoy life to the fullest.

For the past 15 years, Liza has been working with clients using different healing methods that include Family Constellations, Coaching, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), meditation, channeling and reiki. Having studied and lived in the U.S., France, Singapore, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Guatemala has given Liza a unique perspective on personal development. 

Liza’s passion for Family Constellations came from her desire to work closely with people and help those who find themselves stuck regardless of the amount of support they receive in conventional coaching.

As she began to explore Family Constellation, she realized ancestral trauma can have tremendous effect on family systems. The burden of past ancestral trauma can keep people from accomplishing their goals and hindering their performance in life.

Healing through Family Constellations Therapy

Family Constellations was developed by Bert Hellinger — a German psychotherapist, specializing in family therapy. As a therapist, Hellinger noticed a pattern in the difficulties faced by his clients and as Hellinger delved deeper, he noticed similarities in their struggle. In particular, they seemed to be carrying past familial traumas. By helping clients come to terms with inherited ancestral traumas, Hellinger passed on a powerful therapy modality that has since inspired healers like Liza Miron. 

Family Constellations is rooted in the belief that we make unconscious decisions influenced by our ancestors. Liza’s form of therapy asks that we let go of judgment and instead honor and respect our ancestors — however imperfect or wrong their decisions may seem to us.

The goal is not to justify our ancestors’ actions but to bring awareness to the ancestral entanglements we may be carrying and to let go of the burden it is bringing into our lives. 

Liza focuses on energetics to help heal her clients. Although it helps to know or be conscious of the family members involved in the entanglements, Liza emphasizes that it is not necessary. As a therapist, she works with her clients to bring awareness to those entanglements — whether they’re emotional or unconscious. 

Ultimately, healing oneself involves healing the family system as well. By healing ourselves, we’re thereby helping heal the bloodline that came before us and those that come after us. 

From the Chinese Medicine perspective, Family Constellations can also offer support through freeing our essence or Jing and allowing us to open our hearts to receive and follow our destiny. 

Although there’s love, wisdom, energy and knowledge in our ancestry, trauma or blocked emotions can keep us stuck in life.

Family Constellation allows us to heal and remove the obstacles keeping us from receiving the love, wisdom, success and knowledge we all deserve. 

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — how did this conversation help deepen your awareness to heal the wounds of your ancestry?

References:

Liza Miron’s website: https://www.coachingandconstellations.com/

(Episode 22) 2 Must-Dos During this Change of Seasons

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below —which of these takeaways will you implement during this seasonal transition?

As the Northern hemisphere welcomes the hottest season of the year, we enter the season of the Fire element.

Positively associated with nourishment of the Earth and transformation, an imbalanced Fire, on the other hand, is notorious for digestive problems. In today’s podcast we discuss the importance of gut health and ways to keep you healthy as we embrace the upcoming season. 

Living with the seasons means being aware of the changes in your surroundings and environment. As we transition into a new season on June 20th, we’re again reminded to adjust our lifestyle to accommodate change of seasons.

In Chinese Medicine, the transitional period between each seasonal change, called Doyo, is greatly emphasized. Mentioned in one of the Classical Chinese Medicine texts, Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, the 18 day period (Doyo) is considered a delicate period for the Spleen energy and the associated Earth element. Therefore it’s important to take special care of the Earth organs—the Spleen and Stomach. 

Supporting Your Earth through Hydration

We need to tend to our Earth element. Using the analogy of a garden as our Earth element, we realize the importance of water in keeping plants healthy.

Too much water can create dampness and kill plants while too little water will dry out plants and result in a similar fate. In the body, excessive sugar intake can cause dampness to accumulate and stagnate the energy of the Earth organ systems.

Living in California and being surrounded by the abundance of fruits all year round – whether imported or locally grown – can encourage a diet enriched with fruits, which supports hydration. However, fruits should eaten in moderation to prevent excessive accumulation of dampness internally. 

Spleen Qi 

The Spleen’s function is interconnected with the pancreas, and helps with the transformation and transportation of food into Qi in Chinese Medicine. 

We can think of Spleen Qi’s function as the enzymes produced by the pancreas — helping with the breakdown of food particles and essential in digestion. 

Spleen also helps transform and transport our thoughts and is closely associated with the Yi, or the aspect of the mind. Processing information by our mind relied heavily on Spleen Qi therefore it becomes even more important to strengthen your Spleen Qi to support mental clarity. 

Strong Earth energy supports healthy boundaries

The Earth organs are the Stomach and the Spleen. Stomach Fire is a natural aspect of the digestive system and is related to the hydrochloric acid that helps break down proteins. Pathological fire, on the other hand, is related to toxicity in the stomach — such as an infection from H. pylori bacteria.

It’s fundamental to keep Stomach Fire in balance to support digestion but also help keep unhealthy bacteria in check. 

In order to keep the concentration of hydrochloric acid in our stomach balanced and combat a mild case H. pylori infection, a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can supplement a protein enriched meal and support digestion. 

Small Intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is also caused by excessive gut Fire. SIBO requires careful attention to your diet so the overgrowth of bacteria is not further encouraged.

Since the excess Fire will also damage the Spleen Qi, physiological boundaries are also compromised — resulting in a common condition called leaky gut syndrome. 

When the Spleen is not able to maintain boundaries internally, you’ll also have trouble maintaining social boundaries.

If you find it difficult to say “no” or feeling as if all your energy is leaking into other people’s issues, it’s a good idea to examine the status or health of your gut. When you’re able to strengthen your gut, you’ll find your relationships flourishing as well!

2 key takeaways to help support your Earth energy:

1. Don’t overeat — overeating will cause the Spleen and Stomach energy to stagnate and make you feel lethargic and bloated. 

2. Avoid cold foods and beverages — since Cold damages the Spleen causing dampness and digestive issues, it should be avoided or at least lessened. 

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below —which of these takeaways will you implement during this seasonal transition?

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(Episode 21) What is Qi? Interview with Ann Cecil-Sterman (Part 2 of 2)

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

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — which part of our discussion did you find most interesting?

This is part 2 of our interview with Ann Cecil-Sterman. If you haven’t listened to part 1, we highly recommend listening to it here.

Essential in Chinese medicine is the idea that we should be attuned to our “gut” feelings since it relays important information about our wellbeing.

Recent research provides evidence for the important the gut-brain connection, and how the gut can also have profound effects on our thoughts and emotions, for example. 

Qi Stagnation & Anxiety

Anxiety in Chinese medicine is the failure of the Heart and Kidneys to properly communicate. Kidney Qi stores our destiny and Heart Qi is responsible for creating relationships and expanding our connections.

When our Qi is focused on a tiny screen (i.e. phone screens) and our social connections based there, the connection between our Kidney Qi and Heart Qi is interrupted, creating stagnation. Anxiety and depression often result from this stagnation.

As social media expands to control our social network, cases of anxiety and depression will inevitably become more prevalent. 

If we instead spend more time connecting with ourselves and others, the Heart Qi to be released and express itself, thereby leading us to greater creativity and joy.

One of many benefits of Acupuncture include supporting the connection between the Heart and Kidneys. 

Benefits of Acupuncture

A common misconception is that Acupuncture should only be sought out for injuries. Cecil-Sterman emphasizes the fact that Acupuncture’s scope is much broader. Of the 66 channels used in Acupuncture, only 12 channels deal with treating injuries. The rest of the meridians deal with all sorts of issues such as those used for chronic degenerative diseases, emotional distress and with a variety of acute and chronic issues. 

More importantly, if someone presents with no health issue, acupuncture can still offer health support in ensuring smooth functioning of our internal organs and flow of Qi. Cecil-Sterman explains why regular Acupuncture treatments along with a diet low in sugar can keep illness and dis-ease at bay. 

Cultivating Your Qi as a Way of Life

One of the major impediments to healthy Qi aside from excessive use of technology is an unhealthy diet, especially one that includes refined sugars.

Sugar cane is naturally a whole food and digestible, but once it’s refined with the natural enzymes and fibers stripped, it essentially becomes empty calories. Refined sugar thickens and raises the temperature of our blood and contributes to inflamed arteries as your body increases cholesterol levels in order to protect the heart against the raging heat caused by refined sugar. A host of other diseases are also caused by consumption of refined sugar so it’s important to control the amount of sugar in our diet. 

Generally speaking, you can cultivate Qi through your diet by becoming more mindful of what you’re eating and replacing refined sugar with whole, clean foods.

You can also become more aware of your surroundings and actions, and allowing this awareness to guide you to make healthier choices.

Ann recommends simply taking as little as 10 minutes to meditate or simply breathe to cultivate a profound sense of relaxation, comfort and connection. This alone initiates a healing process and allows Qi to flow freely and help us become more aware. 

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — which part of our discussion did you find most interesting?

References

Ann Cecil-Sterman’s website - https://anncecilsterman.com/