Stomach Channel Massage for Digestion

Leg Massage:

Help your body cope with a heavy meal by massaging the stomach channel.

The stomach channel is the region indicated by arrow #3 on this diagram, and it extends the full length of the leg. Focus on the area between the knee and ankle. This is the often-soft area to the right of your shin bone if you are looking down at your feet.

Firmly massage this area by moving your thumb or forefingers in a firm, circular motion. For most people, massaging downwards towards your toes will bring the most relief, but this varies from case to case.

Regular massage of the stomach channel can help alleviate problems such as feelings of fullness, belching, or sleepiness after a meal.

Eat::Live::Love

Holiday Eating:

by David Brochstein, L.Ac., O.M.D.

For many people the holidays seems more like foe than friend. Fudge, cookies, cake, cheese plates, dips, potstickers, dessert wine, beer, champagne... leer at us across the room.

Even worse is the guilt we feel after we over-indulge. We may assess a price for our indiscretions, sentencing our body to 50 crunches the next morning and a wheezing half-hour on the tread mill.

Give yourself a break this year. In many cultures, food = love. You know you will be plied with goodies wherever you go. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the rice krispy seas, and wake up on January 1st without a food hang-over!

1. Eat Three Meals a Day. When you skip meals it confuses your body's metabolism. From a TCM perspective, skipping meals can actually create cold-patterns in your digestive tract and can damage your blood. The digestive system is called the "middle burner" and is the body's equivalent of a coal burning stove. When you don't put fuel in the fire, it goes cold. Simple as that.

Skipping meals repeatedly can lead to digestive disorders, dampness, menstrual difficulties, weight gain, and decreased sexual function.

2. Eat the Right Three Meals A Day. Eat protein with every meal, combined with a balance of carbohydrates. Eating a sufficient amount of protein with each meal will deter snacking.

3. Choose Your Battles in Advance. Will you choose to defeat the tin of ribbon candy or the home-made apple pie? Allow yourself a limit such as one dessert a day. You can enjoy the merriment without getting caught in a cycle of craving and guilt.

4. Beware of the "It's Too Late Now" Attitude.

Once a moral food code is broken, people have a tendency to say "Oh, _____ it!" While the choice of expletive varies from person to person, the reaction is almost always the same. Don't paint yourself into a corner. You know deep-down that two cookies may be worse than no cookies, but a whole package is never a good idea!

5. Avoid Processed Foods. Perhaps avoiding these types of foods is the most difficult holiday challenge to undertake, but it is well worth it.

Here are a few hints about choosing good food:

* If you don't know what an ingredient is - don't eat it!

* Anything that starts with hydro- has been chemically altered and is not for you!

* Banish all artificial dyes and colorants: this is all FD&C #s, and then some...

* Watch out for shortening, MSG, and excess use of gums as fillers.

These processed foods are difficult, if not impossible, for our body to process. They confuse our cellular transport systems, and are often labeled as "waste" by our bodies. Unfortunately, instead of getting excreted as waste they are often stored in fat cells and congest our systems for decades!

Just Say No.

6. Carry a Snack. Perhaps you know that you will be going to a holiday party straight from work, and you will be hungry. Stop by a natural food store and pick up dried fruit/nuts, or an energy bar, such as BoBo's Oat Bars. Eat this snack before you go into the party. Now you can let your head, and not your stomach, navigate you across the buffet!

Eat: Live: Love

Dr. B

david@dbacu.com

Cold Buster Bath

If you are facing a low backache, stiff neck, or chills then it's time to act fast!

COLD BUSTER BATH
1 tbsp. dried ginger powder

1 tbsp. epsom salts

Soak for for 15 minutes, and try to break a sweat.

If you can't break a sweat from the bath alone, then you can drink 12 oz. of coffee with 1/4 tsp. of dried fennel powder while you are in the bath, in order to induce sweating.

When you are finished soaking, be sure to use a cool rinse on your whole body to close down your pores and prevent your body from leaking much needed body heat.

Dry hair, and wrap body from head to toe. Continue to eat warm foods and drink warm beverages until you feel the cold start to subside.

Contact Crisis Fundraiser

CONTACT Crisis is a local Dallas charity that provides crisis phone support to those in need. CC is hosting a fundraiser in January that may interest some of you. Living Well Dallas is having a one day seminar/boot-camp to help individuals assess their mind-body priorities and get set for 2010. Details below.

S A T U R D A Y : J A N U A R Y 23 8 a m - 2 p m “Transform : . . .” Start the New Year off right with an exciting workshop that will peak your curiosity and leave you excited, energized and ready to experience Living Well everyday in 2010 Donation: in advance: 1 for $45│2 for $80 at the door: 1 for $60│2 for $120 (Reservation Required. Limited Seating!) For a new you and to purchase tickets call Bob Munro at (972) 233-0866 ext. 305 or e-mail at bmunro@contactcrisisline.org Location: 6390 LBJ Freeway, Suite 252 Dallas, TX 75240 8:00 - 8:30 am “Finding the Buddha in Busy Times: Meditation & Mindfulness” 8:30 - 9:00 am “Beautiful Breakfast” Michael Lane, Chef, Personal Chef Click www.personalchefclick.com 9:00 - 10:00 am “Shutdown Stinking Thinking!” 10:15 - 11:30 am “Resolution Revolution—Ditch the to-do and Rapid Plan” 11:45 - 12:45 pm “The Tumultuous Affair: Women’s Relationship with Food— 5 Ways to Transform Your Relationship with Food” 12:45 - 1:45 pm Healthy Lunch Michael Lane, Chef, Personal Chef Click www.personalchefclick.com 1:45 - 2:00 pm “Pleasure & Pain—The Power to Transform” 2:00 - 4:00pm “Visualizing the Future—Vision Boards Workshop”(optional) CONTACT Crisis Line We’re not here to judge. We’re here to listen. P.O. Box 800742 • Dallas, TX 75380 • www.contactcrisisline.org • Office (972) 233-0866 • Fax (972) 233-2427

Put on that Ugly Sweater!

And Banish Cold and Flu!
by David Brochstein, L.Ac., O.M.D.

When we were children we had a mother, grandmother, or friend's mom who badgered us about going outside without our coat, leaving home with wet hair, and playing in the rain.

It may surprise you to learn that we agree with your grandma... stay covered!

According to the view of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), colds and flus are caused by external pathogens. Conversely, Western medicine corresponds cold and flu with airborne micro-pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.

Allow us to present the TCM viewpoint below:
Although Western medical sciences do not list wind, rain, or cold as direct causes of illness, traditional medicines from China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet recognize a correlation between environmental conditions and illness.

According to Chinese medical theory, the three main external pathogen categories that affect the body during Winter are: WIND, COLD, and DAMP. Often in Southern states we see HEAT as a factor as well, even in the Winter.


It is easier to stay well, than to get well! So pay attention to some little known causes of Winter illness.


1. WIND. Signs and Symptoms:

Occipital stiffness and ache
Headache
Body aches
Aversion to cold or wind
Sneezing, coughing
Runny nose
Possibly fever
Sweating (depending on whether wind or cold is dominate pathogen)
Joint pain and swelling, esp. pain that "moves" to different parts of the body


2. COLD. Spearheaded by Wind, Cold can invade the Exterior of the body and give rise to symptoms described above, and additional cold symptoms such as:

Severe pain (that is relieved by the application of heat)
Stiff muscles
Contracted tendons
Watery discharge -- nasal, ocular (eyes).
Clammy Skin
Excess salivation
Feeling of cold


3. DAMP. While Cold and Wind are two forces of nature that most of us can conceptualize at least a bit, dampness is more difficult to understand. A thorough explanation can be found in TCM literature. Dampness is most closely associated with the symptom of phlegm; although, Dampness may reside anywhere in the body and may not be as obvious as phlegm that is coughed up.

Signs and Symptoms:

Feeling of heaviness
Poor appetite
Feeling of fullness
Sticky taste in the mouth
Urinary difficulty
Vaginal discharge
Sticky tongue coat
Moist feeling on certain areas of body
Discharge of mucus in bowel movement
Discharge of phlegm from mouth or nose

Holiday tips:

*Keep External Parts of your body covered when in cold environments.

*Protect the Back and neck. This area is immensely important to keep out wind. Consider a scarf when outdoors.

*Protect the Feet. Never go barefoot on cold floors, it is said to stress the kidneys (kidney channel and organ system). Wear slippers around the house.

*Protect the Joints. Those with cold related knee pain should wear support sleeves over the knees.

*Protect the Abdomen. Use a belly warmer. This is a thermal sleeve for the abdominal area used to prevent cold related menstrual pain or low back pain.

*Acclimatize. Avoid sudden climate changes such as going from a hot shower to a cold bedroom. If your pores are open from a hot shower and you immediately expose your skin to cold air you can suffer a cold or wind invasion! Consider a gentle and mellow rinse of comfortably cool water at the end of a shower to close the pores, and tighten & tone the skin (good for skin & hair as well!).

*Stay Dry. Wet or damp hair can put a hit on the superficial immune functions, which are the first lines of defense from the pathogens that can make one sick. Keep your hair & body dry and covered.

*Keep your Defensive Qi healthy. Consume warming food and drink. Eat spices such as ginger, garlic, cinnamon, fennel, and clove. Avoid cold or raw food and drink during the cold season.

Consult with your OMD for dietary advice that is specific to your constitution.

If you start to feel sick, go see your oriental medical doctor for treatment as soon as possible -- time is of the essence! Acupuncture, moxabustion, and cupping can be used to boost immune function and drive out pathogens when they invade. Certain herbal formulations can also increase the function of your immune system or expedite the process of healing.

Put on that ugly sweater and stay healthy!

David B.
david@dbacu.com

Holiday Stress and Depression: Take Charge!

Acupuncture for Holiday Stress and Depression by David Brochstein, L.Ac., O.M.D.

The holidays and acupuncture may seem to be an unlikely juxtaposition, but there are several reasons why acupuncture has more in common with the holidays than you might think:

1. stress
2. anxiety
3. depression

The Mayo Clinic states that relationships, finances, and physical demands are the three categories of stress that most affect individuals and families around the holidays. The Clinic suggests the following 10 tips to help manage stress better:

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.
4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression too.
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
7. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
8. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.
9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

If you have tried to manage or prevent your own stress, but find that your mind and body still need help processing all of the increased demands you face.... acupuncture can help you.

According to the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the emotions are regulated by a body process called Liver Qi. Qi is the life-force energy that circulates within our body. (The closest thing that Western science has identified to Qi is described by quantum physics, and this is a very complicated discussion!) Qi can become blocked or stagnate. The smooth-flow of your bodily processes is compromised when qi stagnates. Strong negative emotions cause liver qi to stagnate, and when this happens you can become stressed, anxious, depressed, lethargic, fearful or angry.

Once your body has entered a negative emotional state the qi of other organs becomes affected. You may then experience secondary problems with your digestion, menses, energy, sleep, focus, or exacerbated pain symptoms such as backaches or head aches.

Western medicine typically treats stress by blocking neurochemical factors. This means that a person taking these medications will continue to experience stressful circumstances, but your mind is no long aware or responsive to the stress. This type of treatment can divorce the mind and body, it can reduce our responsiveness to our environment: work, family, friends, self-care.

Traditional Chinese Medicine instead seeks to soothe to blocked qi so that your mind is naturally freed, you are able to see your circumstances more clearly, and respond to stressors in your environment instead of reacting or avoiding them! Take charge of your life this holiday season.

References

1. Pert C, Dreher H, Ruff M. The psychosomatic network: foundations of mind-body medicine. Alternative Therapies July 1998;4(4):30-41.
2. Pert C. Molecules of Emotion. Simon & Schuster, 1999; ISBN: 0684846349.

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