Inger’s Blog

Fall has clearly arrived, at least it has here in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures are in the 50s; it’s mostly cloudy with showers. This is the time to cover our neck and back with an extra layer of clothing and wear hats in order to avoid catching colds. It’s also important to eat foods that are in season, such as root vegetables, in soups and stews. Fall is also the time I treat patients who have allergies in the spring and summer.

In Chinese medicine, Fall corresponds with the lungs. The lungs are associated with breath and respiration, as well as with the “Wei qi,” translated as the defensive qi (your vital energy). This defensive qi wards off potential colds one can contract during the change in seasons. If your lung qi is flourishing, you’re less likely to get ill. If you do get ill, your body is able to ward of the disease fairly quickly.

By focusing my acupuncture treatments now on strengthening the lung qi, come spring time the lungs are better equipped to do their job in fighting allergic reactions. In addition, I prescribe herbal formulas that include either huang qi (astragalus root) or ren shen (ginseng root), based on the patient’s pattern presentation. These herbs effectively strengthen areas of the body that are depleted and also strengthen the body’s defenses against disease.

I like to think of these treatments as similar to seasonal tune-ups for a car. I focus on getting you healthy now to help prevent severe problems in the future. If you are someone who gets allergies in the spring or summer, consider a tune-up acupuncture treatment right now in the fall! Sorry, I am not offering shuttle service at this time.

—Inger

You don’t need to be in pain to get acupuncture and you don’t need to be ill. Because Chinese medicine is preventative medicine, acupuncture as a monthly “tune-up” can be just as helpful. How? Chinese medicine’s focus is on the cultivation of your body’s qi (translated loosely as your body’s “vital energy”).  When your body’s qi is flourishing, it can better handle stresses and strains that may come your way. For example, if you are exposed too much to the elements—sun, wind, or dampness—or to toxins in our environment—molds, polluted air, and so on—you are likely to get sick. If your body’s qi has been supplemented through regular acupuncture treatments, it can better handle these external pressures. 

With the healthcare reform debate continuing, one approach that is widely agreed upon by medical doctors, naturopaths, and Chinese medicine practitioners is that it is far better to prevent illness than to treat it once it has taken root within the body.  Chinese medicine focuses on this preventative approach.  I have stressed on my web page that Chinese medicine is not just about acupuncture.  It includes the five modalities: acupuncture, tui na (Chinese therapeutic massage), dietary therapy, Chinese herbs, and qi gong (exercise). When you come in for a treatment, I may apply tui na (for example, after your acupuncture treatment), as well as prescribe herbs. I am also likely to discuss ways for you to cultivate your qi in your everyday life, through eating balanced meals and exercising regularly. Of course, my recommendations from a Chinese medical perspective are made in response to your unique health status and state of being. Although preventative medicine is good for all, preventative approaches are not the same for all! Write me or make an appointment if you’d like to discuss appropriate preventative medicine for you.   

—Inger

Two research reviews published in the Cochrane Library indicated the following:

·         In general, researchers found migraine patients tended to fare better when acupuncture was added to their standard care, which usually consisted of medication to treat acute migraine attacks.

·         Overall, 47 percent of patients who had acupuncture added to their care said their number of headache days dropped by half. That compared with 16 percent of those who stayed with standard care alone.

·         And in four clinical trials that compared acupuncture with drugs used to prevent migraines, acupuncture patients tended to have fewer headaches and fewer side effects.

Go here to read the entire article:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_74040.html

—Inger

Autumn brings focus after the scattered season of summer. During the summer, we are active and social (so I blame summer for my recent lack of blogging!). During fall, we focus inwardly, we stay inside, and we contemplate the busy season we’ve left behind.

What the Huang Di nei jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic) Says about Autumn

“In the three months of autumn all things in nature reach their full maturity. The grains ripen and harvesting occurs. The heavenly energy cooks, as does the weather. The wind begins to stir. This is the changing or pivoting point when the yang, or active, phase turns into its opposite, the yin, or passive phase. One should retire with the sunset and arise with the dawn. Just as the weather in autumn turns harsh, so does the emotional climate. It is therefore important to remain calm and peaceful, refraining from depression so that one can make the transition to winter smoothly. This is the time to gather one’s spirit and energy, be more focused, and not allow desires to run wild. One must keep the lung energy full, clean, and quiet. This means practicing breathing exercises to enhance lung qi. Also, one should refrain from both smoking and grief, the emotion of the lung….”

—Chapter 2, Huang Di nei jing

The Inner Classic is the earliest text we know of on the subject of Chinese medicine. We are not certain exactly when it was written, but scholars tend to place its composition between 320 BCE and 260 CE. The book offers practical advice on how to maintain balance in our lives by living according to seasonal and other cyclical changes in nature. The Chapter 2 quote above discusses what is occurring in nature during the autumn season and how those phenomena affect our body/mind. The paragraph emphasizes the health of the lungs during autumn because the lungs’ qi corresponds to the energy of autumn in Chinese medicine. At this time of year it is important to focus on the lungs and on prevention in general in order to avoid contracting an illness.

How to Stay Well

Below are suggestions for enhancing your health during this stormy season:

·          It is increasingly windy and cold, so always cover your head and neck when going outside. Pathogenic cold will get into your body via your head and neck.

·          Take deep breaths and breathe in the fresh fall air. This will help to clear your lungs and provide fresh qi from the air to your body.

·          Allow for appropriate sleep. Go to bed earlier than usual—when it gets dark out—and wake up earlier. Unlike in summer, when we stay awake later, we should do the opposite in autumn.

·          Drink herbal teas that supplement your lung qi. Ren shen (Panax ginseng) effectively supplements the lungs and helps augment the qi, and huang qi (Astralagus membranaceus) helps to augment your protective qi (the qi that keeps you from contracting an illness).

·          The lungs are associated with sour foods in Chinese medicine, and eating sour foods helps stimulate the body and encourage mental focus. Eat sauerkraut, sourdough breads, olives, and pickles!

The suggestions above, in addition to regular acupuncture treatments and herbal prescriptions, are wonderful, preventative ways to avoid getting sick this season and to increase your overall health and well being.

—Inger