Stressing Health

Autumn

Health Tips

Each season throughout the year has energetic forces that you have to adapt to, physically and emotionally. So let’s take a look at what to keep an eye out for throughout autumn - the Metal season.

Feeling a Little Melancholy?
On the emotional health side, there is a tendency to feel a touch of melancholy every year in autumn. This includes feelings of sadness and depression. These kinds of feelings tend to come when we shift back to standard time, and the days grow shorter.

Signs of the Season
During autumn, you always need to be mindful of the health of your lungs and large intestine, and be vigilant in noticing weaknesses like:

What You Can Do
You have built-in capacities to become and stay healthy, and there are things you can do to build your resistance to illness.

Here are a few suggestions for staying healthy this autumn:

An Enlightening Interview With Jack O’Lantern

Our friend Jack O’Lantern stops by BIOM every year around this time, and we asked if he would share with you some of his ideas on how to get the most out of Halloween, and the Harvest celebration.

He agreed to be interviewed, and here’s what he had to say:

Michael: So Jack, why is Halloween so special to you?

Jack O’Lantern: Well this is the time of the year when the waning of the light begins to be very obvious. And as you know, my job is to remind people that looking at the light in themselves is a fun, and necessary, thing to do. That’s why I encourage people to carve me up, put a candle inside me, and enjoy my glow.

Michael: The poets and sages say that there’s “light” inside everyone of us. How does that “light” compare to the light we see coming from you during Halloween?

Jack O’Lantern: I’m glad you asked me that! These days too many people have forgotten about the “light” that’s inside of them. Maybe they think it’s corny, or too religious; or maybe they just forgot that it’s there, I’m not sure. But there’s one thing I do know—and I built my career around this—and that is: There’s no better feeling than feeling your inner light shine through you!

People are always commenting about how beautifully I “glow.” And I tell them: “You can glow too. All you have to do is know that there is a “light” inside of you, and take some time to look at it.” For me, it’s the feeling I get gazing at the Harvest Moon on a cool, clear night.

Michael: But you’re Jack O’Lantern! How can ordinary people hope to be able to glow like you? What can people who live busy lives do to get their inner light to shine through?

Jack O’Lantern: It’s actually quite simple. Like me, you too have openings to let the light come through. All you have to do is intend for it to come through. And when you do, it will pour out of your eyes, and you’ll see what you’re looking for; and other people who are looking for the light will see it coming from you, and you’re likely to meet friends when and where you least expect to. And when you feel “lit up,” the light will come through your mouth in the form of kind and creative words. So there are lots of ways to let your light shine through.

Michael: Since Halloween, and the Harvest season is upon us, is there anything you can suggest for people to do so they can have this “lit up” experience?

Jack O’Lantern: When I was a young pumpkin, learning how to “jack-o-lantern,” my teacher used to have us stand in the moonlight and imagine ourselves, not as ordinary pumpkins, but as the glowing jack-o-lanterns we aspired to be. He taught us to feel ourselves connected to the earth, out of which we came, and then feel the moonlight coming down from above, lighting our stems like candles, and illuminating our bodies with a warm, orangey glow: very similar to some of the Chi Kung exercises you teach at BIOM.

At first I thought that was kind of a strange thing to do; but, you know what? It worked. This simple exercise taught me how to glow on my own, whether anyone lit a candle inside of me or not. You folks reading this should give it a try! After all, if an old gourd like me can be named “Jack,” you can figure out how to glow like a Halloween pumpkin.

If you want to know more about “jack-o-lanterning,” or would like to ask Jack a question, he can be reached at:

Related Links

Staying Healthy in Turbulent Times

In turbulent times it is crucial to focus on the simple things that can help you maintain your health.

Managing Fear in Your Body
In a time like this, with the economy creating feelings of fear, your immune system takes a hit with each jab of worry and anxiety, making you more vulnerable to health problems. If you pay attention, you may notice that fear causes parts of your body to tighten up (shoulders and neck are common examples), and constricts the flow of energy that nourishes health. The antidote to this type of ‘freezing-up’ is to take a minute or so, throughout the day when you need to, to take several slow, deep, breaths. This helps prevent tension from building up in your body.

Keeping Your Wits When Anxiety Bites
Another well-known blow to your well-being, when things turn negative fast, is your energy rushing upward causing that ‘mind-racing’ feeling. Slow, deep breathing, once again, is Nature’s remedy for rebalancing; bringing your energy back down to the center of your body. Becoming more aware of your feet can also turn ‘rocketing’ energy around, returning it to a more balanced flow.

Sleeping Yourself To Health
Getting rest is a key part of the prescription for maintaining your health in stressful times. If you’re having trouble sleeping, conscious breathing, as you’re lying in bed, is the ‘pill’ you need.

Here’s how to do it: Start by breathing slowly and deeply ... gradually become aware of your abdomen with each breath. When you feel centered ... send your attention down to your feet ... and for a few breaths ... with each exhalation ... ‘tell’ your feet to relax. Continue breathing slowly and deeply ... and when you’re ready ... move your awareness up one level ... from feet-to-ankles ... ankles-to-knees ... and so on ... all the way to the top of your head. Repeat again ... until you fall asleep.

Help Yourself So You Can Help Others
Maintaining your health during turbulent economic times is crucial because the ‘danger reflex’ can kick in, causing you to work longer, harder and faster to protect your financial health. So while you’re working out your strategy for riding out the current economic turbulence, think about what the flight attendant tells you to do when the going gets rough:

“… PUT YOUR MASK ON FIRST (and START BREATHING) before you try to help someone else.”

This mask is equivalent to your health: make sure you put it on first, and then you can manage the rest!

Wishing you a smooth flight through this turbulent time.

Kitty and Michael at BIOM

Staying Healthy In Autumn

Seasons change, and your body and mental outlook change with them in predictable ways. Oriental medicine combines knowledge of seasonal characteristics with your unique health situation to balance your energy (chi) to help you adapt and thrive during the cool, crisp months of autumn.

The Metal Element
Every season is associated with one of the Five Elements, and for autumn, the element is Metal—the energetic force that governs the health and functionality of your Lungs and Large Intestine.

Pictures of Health

According to Taoist 5 Element Theory, the Lungs are the primary influence affecting the immune system. So during autumn, it’s important to eat food that builds the overall health of the Lungs to strengthen your immune system now, and in preparation for winter.

Autumn Health Problems
Because the Lungs are most sensitive during autumn, this is a time to focus on preventing or responding to colds, coughs, sore throat, and the like. And for people already predisposed to lung problems, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema, autumn is the time to take precautions to minimize your vulnerability as we advance towards winter.

Avoid Drafts and Breezes. Temperatures are dropping, evenings are getting cooler, and in some places breezes are picking up as seasonal winds begin to blow. During this time, you need to be mindful of breezes that make you feel chilly. To avoid getting sick, keep your neck, wrists, and ankles from being exposed to wind and drafts. This is a likely way for an illness to start.

Be Aware of Dryness. During autumn, slowly increasing wind and cold begins to create dryness in the air, which affects your skin and Lungs. The effects of the natural tendency toward dryness in autumn are magnified as you begin to turn on the heat—at home, at work, and in the car—to take the chill out of the air.

Your skin and Lungs don’t like dryness, so it’s important to drink enough fluids to make sure they don’t get dried out.

Eat Less Spicy Food. Because the Lungs are especially sensitive during the autumn months, it’s a good idea to minimize the amount of spicy food you eat, to avoid irritating them. As a result, your Lungs will be less vulnerable to pathogens.

Autumn Health Tips
It’s important to pay attention to how you feel. As soon as you feel a “cold” coming on, it’s time to take preventive action by enjoying one of these nourishing, natural home brews.

Scallion Broth
This simple broth will help you sweat lightly, and is an excellent remedy for preventing and getting rid of colds:

• Take one scallion, and chop it up.
• Boil in water for 5 to 10 minutes. (Keep the lid on the pot to prevent vapor from escaping.)
• Flavor with tamari.
• Sip it slowly, bundle up, then lie down, or go to sleep.

Ginger Tea
If scallion broth doesn’t suit your culinary fancy, try ginger tea:

• Put a couple of slices of fresh ginger in one and one-half cups of water.
• Boil for 5 to 10 minutes. (Time it based on how strong you like your ginger tea.)
• Keep the lid on the pot to prevent vapor from escaping.
• Add a little honey and lemon.
• Sip it slowly, bundle up, then lie down, or go to sleep.

Scallion broth is the more effective of the two remedies, but if for some reason it doesn’t appeal to you, ginger tea is a good alternative

Balance is Key
Strive to balance your diet so that it includes some vegetables, some fruit, some grain, and a handful of moderately spicy foods.

Get Help If You Need It
If you experience any lung-related, or other symptoms that don’t clear up quickly, call BIOM for an appointment to get a prescribed formula of medical herbs to help alleviate your symptoms and address the problem—before it becomes more advanced. 

Fire Is Waning

It’s late summer, with hints of Autumn in the air. In 5 Element terms: Fire is waning, Earth is ascending for a brief period, before we head into Metal season of Autumn. This means we still need to be conscientious about heat-related vulnerabilities in the Heart and Kidneys, and start rebuilding them—especially the Kidneys since their main season is coming up in Winter.

Hopefully you’ve spent the summer strengthening your Lungs so that they’re ready to channel the energy Autumn brings to them. If you have Lung-related weakness, it’s a good idea to use acupuncture & acupressure, specific Chinese medical herbs, and Lung-focused Chi Kung to avoid Lung-related illnesses this Autumn.
Also, every time we move to a new season, there is a short period where the digestive system will be energized, which, at this time of year, may make you vulnerable to heat-related problems that specifically affect the digestive system:

A few examples include:

What You Can Do
Just start noticing what’s happening with you. Obviously, take note of any acute, or chronic symptoms you’re experiencing, and also look for relationships and patterns related to the things you do—like diet, exercise, work—and how you feel as a result.

Pay attention to your health. For example, during late-August through September, some questions to ask yourself are:

Watch what you eat. What you eat plays a major role in how you feel. Some dietary considerations to be aware of include:

Mid-Summer Checkup: Heat-Related Health Problems

It’s the middle of summer, a time Oriental medicine describes as the ‘Fire’ season. The heart is your body’s primary focus during summer; it’s the internal organ where the heat of ‘Fire’ concentrates. In addition to heat-related problems that can directly affect the heart during summer, you have other internal organs that are also heat sensitive, like the liver, which has a tendency to become overheated during this time of year, making you more vulnerable to feeling irritated.

Length 03:44, Size 4.3 MB

The ‘Water’ energy of kidneys cools down other organs that get overheated in summer.

Maintaining Your Engine Avoids Problems
It’s a lot like the radiator in a car, the water in the radiator provides the cooling mechanism for the engine, which keeps the whole thing from overheating.  When the water is low, or the radiator runs dry, which is equivalent to the kidneys being weak and unbalanced, the engine is at risk; so too your body is at some risk when your kidneys are taxed by heat during the summer. This is an Oriental medicine example of why many people experience problems like high blood pressure in the summer.

Summer Health Tips
It’s important to drink enough water and eat the right foods to ensure you’re meeting your body’s summertime needs.

• Drink more water. Because it’s hot and you perspire a lot during the summer, the average amount of water you should drink in a 24-hour period is 48 ounces — this includes all fluids, such as, juice, soda, and other beverages. (Note: 48 ounces is the equivalent of 6 eight ounce glasses.) When you are sweating more than usual — as on some days in the summer — drinking more is advisable. It’s important to pay attention to how you feel, and drink more when you’re thirsty.
• Monitor your intake of salt. An imbalance of salt in your body — too much, or too little — can readily occur when temperatures are hot. You will know you’re getting too much salt if you find that rings you wear get tighter, and socks or shoes that fit you comfortably during cooler weather, leave lines or wrinkles on your feet or ankles because of too much fluid in those areas.
• Eat cooling foods. Cucumbers, mung beans, and watermelon are particularly good foods to eat in the summer. They help to keep your body cool, and because of their diuretic properties, they also help to offset excess salt intake.