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Regain & Maintain Your Health
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The Tao of Health
New York Times
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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
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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.
In this episode of Seasonal Health Tips, Kitty talks about how the Metal element of Autumn affects your health, and how to stay healthy during this season of cooler days and longer nights. (To get the most out of what Kitty has to say, open the 5 Element Theory chart in a new window while listening.)
(Length 07:39, Size 8.8 MB)
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.
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:
These types of problems are more likely to happen now, in late-Summer, early-Fall—especially if you have weak digestive organs.
Watch what you eat. What you eat plays a major role in how you feel. Some dietary considerations to be aware of include:
If you need help with any of the symptoms listed above, or want to know more: email Kitty.