Crouching,
peering up at the clouds —
a frog ...
– Chiyo

Spending a few minutes each day rubbing your hands and feet isn’t just one more thing to do in an already over-scheduled day; think of it as a pleasurable ‘tune-up’  that’s a perfect complement to your traditional exercise workout.

A Special Relationship With Yourself
You don’t need someone else to massage your hands and feet. Hands are easy and can be rubbed anytime, anywhere. Feet are a bit more challenging regarding when and where you can do it. Figure out the best time and place - and then do it.

Late Snow
Seeming as though
this must be the last of it—
so much spring snow!
Issa

Massaging your feet leads to other great health benefits beyond those that come from energizing the organs related to the toes.

Since many of us haven’t done much stretching in a while, it may be challenging to get to the feet easily. Or maybe there’s a bit more bulk in the mid-section than the last time you rubbed your feet. Just by reaching for your feet you will stretch out tight parts of the body, and begin bringing more energy into the digestive system, which jumpstarts the process of losing bulk in the midsection and toning the muscles.

In a short time after regularly massaging your feet, you’ll be enjoying more energy, and feeling healthier overall.

Getting Closer To That Special Someone
Nothing says ‘I care about you’ better than a hand and foot massage. So why not give this gift of love to that special someone in your life? And hopefully after experiencing how good it feels they’ll want to pass this goodness back to you. And if your gift of a hand and foot massage isn’t returned after a reasonable amount of time, you might hint about an early birthday present.

So give it a try, you’ll be amazed at how much better things are after getting rubbed the right way.

Enjoy.

In a similar way, a strong, healthy Liver is a primary force affecting your health in Spring because it provides the energy needed to root, balance, and channel the energy in your body that bursts forth in Spring.

Imagine too how the forcing of Spring pushes out leaves from Winter’s barren branches. This same energy is coursing through your body; but in people that energy is channeled through the nerves.

To the extent your body is ‘balanced’ Spring is an exhilarating, creative time; to the extent it’s not …

Spring Health Tip
During this time of seasonal transition, remain mindful of cold, making sure you don’t get too chilled. Your body is still vulnerable from the Winter and you don’t want to make it easy for a cold or flu to take hold.

Pay Attention To How You Feel
One sure sign that your Liver needs balancing or replenishing is if you experience the most common Liver-related discomfort in Spring — often described as: jagged, jittery, jumpy, tight, knotted, wiry, or fried nerves.

Help Is Here — Or On The Way
If you find yourself feeling jagged, jittery, jumpy, tight, knotted, wiry, or fried — or recognize it because of the effects it’s having on your emotions and relationships with others — there’s a reason for it: Spring is that time of year.

If you want relief, Oriental Medicine — acupuncture, Chinese medical herbs, diet & nutrition, and Chi Kung — can provide it. If you don’t and want to tough it out, take heart, things will change again when we get to Summer.

As I mentioned in A Mid-Winter Checkup, your kidneys are probably pretty pooped by now, leaving you feeling low in energy. Look at the Five Element Cycle of Regulation illustration on this page and you’ll notice that the ‘Water’ element, embodied in your Kidneys, regulates the ‘Fire’ element, which is embodied in your Heart.

So if your Kidneys are low in energy they won’t be able to adequately support the Heart, and as a result, the Heart function can get a bit out of alignment.

What to Look Out For
If you’re already predisposed to heart problems, you may be experiencing things like a little bit of extra pressure in the chest, or maybe some mild heart irregularities in the rhythm and beat, usually not to the extent of interfering with breathing; but for people who have compromised heart energy, these symptoms may be more severe at this point in the winter.

Mid-season is the time to start rebuilding the strength of that season’s organ.

A Way to Good Health
A ‘rule of thumb’ for good health is this: toward the middle and end of each season, focus on rebuilding the strength of the organ that is the focal point for that season. Right now, in mid-winter, it’s your Kidneys. And because each organ system has a companion organ that it regulates, (at mid-winter it’s your heart), it’s a good idea to pay some attention to the companion too so that it will be in tune and ready to go when it’s season to perform comes; (for the Heart, that’s summer).

What You Can Do
Acupuncture, Chinese Medical Herbs, and Chi Kung are simple, time-tested ways to balance the energy in the seasonally affected organ system, and to build your overall level of energy so that you can enjoy that most wonderful, yet subtle, of feelings: Good Health!

If you want help learning about, and experiencing, the health benefits offered by this ‘5 Element Way,’ call me for an appointment, or to discuss your situation.

Contact Kitty
for more information
(206) 842-6936

As always ... wishing you health and well-being ...

Kitty

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What You Need to Know About Winter
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Winter Photos

The Tiger is a very dynamic animal and represents the energy of this year

The Chinese New Year began on February 14th and is traditionally celebrated for fifteen days.

This year we are in the energy of the Metal Tiger. You will see it referred to as the “Golden Tiger” because the word in Chinese for Metal is also the word for Gold. You will also see it referred to as the “White Tiger” because the color for Metal is White.

Just look at this image of the Tiger and you are immediately reminded of its energy — and the energy of this year.

Click for larger view

The Ways of the Cat
The Tiger is a big cat and the energy of this year is BIG too. The Tiger is a very dynamic animal and represents the energy of this year well.

If you’ve ever lived with a house cat or observed one, you know how independent they are — and “independence” is a thread that will be running through the fabric of this year. So think of this year as the ‘year of the cat’ — big or small — which will have many cat-like characteristics.

• Stealthy.  Cats of all sizes rely on their stealth to surprise and overcome their prey.
• Playful.  Just give a house cat some catnip to see this aspect.
• Fearless.  Most cats, regardless of size, don’t exhibit fear; this goes along with the saying: “Cats have 9 lives.”
• Sensual.  Cats love what they love and purring lets you know what that is.
• Charismatic.  This can easily be seen in the majesty of a tiger.
• Fierce.  Big cats are incredibly fierce when hunting.
• Self-assured.  Not much bothers them, and when something does, they just leave.

‘Tiger people’ can become depressed and will need lots of sympathetic listening to help them move through it. Once they have recovered, and feel once again more self-assured, they will likely continue along the same path which led them to their depressed state.

Tigers Can Be Intense
The intensity of the Tiger year cannot be overstated. This year has the potential to be more stressful than usual, and much more intense. Due to the dynamism of the Tiger this year may be one of lots of change too. And in contrast, there will be quieter times as well, much like when a cat is sleeping. Yes, cats can be placid — for a time.

Along with the aforementioned intensity, there is also an element of speed in this year’s energy. If you’ve ever seen a Tiger attack its prey you have an understanding of this potential. It’s often explosive, as the energy can be from time to time over this year.

The intensity of the Tiger year cannot be overstated.

The Elemental Energy This Year is ‘Wood’
The Tiger is a Wood animal. This is the same energy as the Liver and Gallbladder so those organs may be involved in health issues this year. Ailments like:

• Sciatica
• Headaches
• High blood pressure
• Hives and allergies

... just to name a few, are some of these Wood-type issues. True to the energy of the Tiger, they may come on quickly and be somewhat intense.

The Metal Tiger year has a ‘Metal’ influence also which means it’s flashier and more flamboyant. It also may have more to do with money.

From the health perspective, the Metal aspect in 5 Element Theory oversees the Lungs and Large Intestine, so issues involving those organs are also possible.

The confluence of Wood and Metal energies may lead to more sinus allergies, for instance, which would be a combination of Lung and Liver imbalance. Each of these energetic influences manifest differently in each person, so it’s very hard to predict exactly which imbalance may show up for you; though you can be sure that you will be subjected to the Metal Tiger energy and it will do what it does in your body.

Ride The Tiger!
As you can see there are many aspects to the lively Tiger year. Yes, it’s going to be dynamic at times and when it is, be sure to remind yourself: “Just ride the Tiger!”

Unlike our ancestors we enjoy a nearly ‘24/7’ abundance (always-on electricity, clean water pumped into the house, food conveniently provided in nearby stores) that lets us overspend our energy between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day; to an extent that our health can feel overdrawn throughout the Winter.

‘Stepping Back’ makes room for something beneficial to come forward.

At BIOM we’ve learned to ‘thread-the-needle’ by enjoying a moderate level of holiday festivities, then taking a short, one- or two-day ‘retreat’ where we ‘step back’ and turn our attention inward to reconnect with what we value in our lives.

We find a short retreat to be a very practical way to refresh the clarity needed for making any necessary ‘adjustments’ for the new year ... and beyond ...

Why Retreat

Winter is a natural time to retreat; the energy in the northern hemisphere is at maximum Yin — a time of dark, cold, stillness and quiet. And just as the bear hibernates, and the tree gathers its energy down in its roots in Winter, we too can get in sync with Winter’s energy (Yin) by ‘sinking’ into the deeper parts of ourselves that aren’t as easily accessible in the stirring days of Spring or fiery days of Summer.

Remember this: To ‘retreat’ doesn’t have to mean doing something ‘spiritual’ or ‘religious.’ Retreat to do something you want to do.

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Conscious Walking
One foot in front of the other ... gaze gently downward ... looking at nothing in particular ...

Planning A Retreat

During a Winter Retreat at BIOM we make it part of our plan to rest and meditate. Our meals are simple, and we’re flexible regarding how we schedule our time.

We focus on staying centered in the body — aware of how we feel — and present in our thoughts — not thinking about what we’ve done in the past or what we plan to do in the future. In other words: “Be Here Now.”

What Do You Want To Do At Your Winter Retreat?

What do you want to experience? Is it peace? Quiet? Inspiration? Art? Music? Figuring that out is the first step.

Once you have a sense of what you want the focus of your retreat to be:

• Gather together everything you’ll need to be self-sufficient during your retreat time.
• Make sure everything is ready.

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One day retreat: like a power outage ... with the Power turned on.

Step-by-Step

Here is a general guide for preparing for a short Winter retreat.

1. Plan your meals and buy your food prior to the time of your retreat. If you don’t want to cook, prepare as much as you can ahead of time.
2. Notify anyone who may contact you that your phone will be off and you won’t be answering emails for that time. (You may also want to turn on the ‘out-of-office’ message for your email.)
3. Gather together whatever you want to have on hand ahead of time.
   • Videos
   • Books
   • Music
   • Writing and drawing materials
   (Keep in mind that it makes sense to choose things that are inspiring and that fit with the ‘theme’ of your retreat.)
4. Prepare a flexible schedule for what you want to do so you have a structure to guide you if you get distracted.

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Do you need help planning your personal retreat? Retreat consultations are available at BIOM. Call — (206) 842-6936 — or email to make an appointment.

Scheduling A Winter Retreat

What Is a Retreat
Perhaps something as simple as turning off the TV or computer for a day ... then seeing what happens with that time.

To help you get started take a look at our ‘flexible’ schedule.

(Note: Wherever you see Chi Kung, just substitute the type of exercise you enjoy and plan to do.)

• Wake up, and while in bed, do some focused breathing to establish the beginning of the retreat.
• Get out of bed and do some gentle stretching exercises.
• Shower
• Practice Chi Kung
• Meditate
• Breakfast
• Enjoy quiet time — read for a while then take a walk in Nature.
• Practice Chi Kung
• Lunch
• Rest a while
• Read or watch something inspiring.
• Chi Kung or other exercise
• Prepare and eat evening meal
• Watch a video, play music, listen to music, or read.
• Meditate
• Feel the effects of the day in your body and mind.
• Sleep

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Related Posts
Seasonal Retreats at BIOM
Reflecting on a Winter Solstice Retreat
Autumn Beach Retreat

Retreating

Retreating is essential because the world is so helter-skelter.

To have the urge to return to our basic nature is such a gift. A personal retreat is an opportunity to become aware of and feel that quiet place inside ourselves, that place of stillness where everything feels in order.

Trust & Patience. Retreating takes trust and patience. Once you begin a retreat it may feel a bit uncomfortable at first. The momentum of today’s lifestyle takes a while to slow down and unwind.

Getting Centered. So you have to have patience at first and know that the stream of non-retreat-oriented thoughts will gradually slow down, and that you will feel centered — just follow your retreat plan and wait. It happens when you’re not looking.

Feel The Urge

Retreating is something you have to want to do. The need to go inside has to be real and pressing. Real in the sense of “I really need to take a step back from (fill in the blank),” and pressing in that you know that something has to change, now!

When you get to that point retreating is what brings balance back into your life.

The Inner Vacation Home

Needless to say, (though I think it needs to be said anyway), Life is such a profound experience, and because we are so busy, most, if not all of the time, it’s easy to miss the the central experience we’re all capable of having: feeling peace and joy.

But it’s too easy to miss it because we get absorbed so easily with the rough and tumble of making a living and taking care of all of our responsibilities.

Feel The Gratitude. There’s a feeling of gratitude that arises when a retreat has begun. It’s like you thanking you for taking care of that part of yourself that always gets short-changed.

To retreat is like going to the ‘inner’ vacation home that you haven’t visited for a long time; a place you want to become reacquainted with. And when you do, you can go there to relax and rejuvenate as often as you like.

So decide to retreat and begin the process: plan, schedule, and retreat — then reflect. You’ll be surprised at how many options appear when you get back into your regular routine.

Do you need help planning your personal retreat? Retreat consultations are available at BIOM. Call — (206) 842-6936 — or email to make an appointment.

Related Posts
Winter Retreat at BIOM
Seasonal Retreats at BIOM
Autumn Beach Retreat

Our objective is to improve the health of the organs most responsible for your overall health at that time of year.

In Winter our 5 Element focus is the Water Energy. The organs that get the primary attention are the Kidneys and Bladder. We also give some attention to the Liver and Gallbladder to prepare them for their upcoming role in Spring.

What You’ll Experience

The Water Element
Every season is associated with one of the Five Elements, and for Winter, the element is Water—the energetic force that governs the health and functionality of your Kidneys and Urinary Bladder.

According to Taoist 5 Element Theory, the Kidneys play a key role in the health of the entire lower part of your body. This includes balancing and processing fluids, as well as, strong joints, healthy sexual function, and more.

Pictures of Health

Protect Yourself Against Cold
To avoid getting sick, keep your wrists, ankles, and especially the back of your neck from being exposed to the cold. When you’re outside, be sensitive to how you feel and make sure your extremities don’t get too cold—especially your fingers and toes.

When your Kidneys are working well, the proper amount of heat is generated in your body, and normal precautions like “bundling up” in the winter will prevent cold from entering and getting trapped in your body. When your Kidneys are out of balance, you’ll notice a persistent feeling of cold in your lower back and extremities. If this is the case, you need to strengthen them. Otherwise you’ll be more vulnerable to pathogens and illness.

Did You Know ...
Women living in cold mountainous climates wrap woolen sashes around their waists—with older women wearing more layers, and younger women fewer. Padding around the waist maintains the warmth your Kidneys and internal organs need to function healthily and supports your back when lifting heavy objects.

Taking Care of Your Kidneys
There are several ways to build and maintain the health of your kidneys.

Chi Kung. Take 30 seconds to a minute—a few times during the day—and briskly rub your hands together to generate warmth in your palms. Then place your warm palms on your lower back, and feel the warmth from your palms penetrate into your kidneys. Then, gently massage your back. This simple exercise is an enjoyable way to invigorate your kidneys.

Chinese Herbs. Traditional Chinese herbal combinations provide an excellent way to strengthen your kidneys.

Acupuncture & Acupressure. These time-tested methods for improving the flow of chi (health-maintaining energy) in your body works to nurture your kidneys.

Diet and Nutrition. This basic approach to health is a simple way to nourish your kidneys.

Did You Know ...
Vegetables are smart! While the air is cold or freezing, Winter vegetables send their chi (life force) down into their roots where it’s protected underground. Our ancestors were smart too, because they understood the life-sustaining value of these roots ... and we should too.

Winter Food Tips
Ancient wisdom tells us that “for everything there is a season ...”. With this in mind, here are some diet and nutrition tips for the Winter season:

• Eat root vegetables like carrots, onions, potatoes, beets, and (unsweetened) Winter squash. Miso soup is a nourishing Winter soup that provides a healthy way to get the moderate amount of salt you need.
• Eat foods that are high in calcium to strengthen your kidneys. aduki beans would be a particularly good addition to your Winter diet. Black beans, black “woodear” mushrooms, and black “cloudear” mushrooms will also add robustness to your Kidney energy.

Winter Health Tips
Here are some things to be aware of as you become more conscious about how to stay healthy in Winter:

• Moderate the amount of salty food you eat.
• Stay away from diuretic foods, like celery.
• Remember that caffeine is particularly hard on the kidneys. (Consider drinking tea or decaffeinated coffee.)

An In-Sight ...
Notice if you find yourself craving salty foods during the Winter. If you do, your kidneys are probably weak and need some strengthening.

Winter Remedies
During those time when your immunity is low, and you feel cold- or flu-like symptoms, 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

Get Help If You Need It
If you experience any kidney-related symptoms—lower back pain, earaches, knee problems—or other symptoms that don’t clear up quickly, call BIOM for an appointment. It’s best to alleviate your symptoms while addressing the root problem—before it becomes more advanced.

Related Links
Seasonal Retreats at BIOM
Winter Photo Gallery
Seasonal Health Tips - The 5 Element Way

And because food is a prime focus of the Thanksgiving celebration, I thought it would be useful to offer some ideas about healthy eating that satisfy the tongue without sacrificing the stomach.

These tips will also help you improve the strength and overall health of your digestion throughout the rest of the year ... and the rest of your life.

Late Autumn Night

Cold, wet and soggy —
Pregnant darkness hangs waiting,
Moon rises slowly.

Be mindful as you eat. To be mindful while eating is simply being aware of how you feel, and noticing as you eat when you start to feel full. A good ‘starting point’ is to ask yourself at the beginning of the meal: “How do I want to feel when I finish eating”? If you answer to yourself: “satisfied, not stuffed and not feeling like taking a nap,” then as you’re eating, be aware of the imaginary dialogue between your tongue and stomach; where the tongue says: “Yes, give me more, it’s delicious! While the stomach says: “Eat slower so I have time to digest.”

If you want a healthy digestive system, and a slimmer waist, pay more attention to what your stomach tells you.

Chew well, eat slowly, enjoy the taste. Did you know that chewing is the first step in the digestion process? And the more you chew your food, the easier it is for your stomach to break it down further so that it’s easily absorbed into the small intestine, from where nourishment gets distributed to the rest of your body.

If you don’t chew well, your meals don’t get digested properly, and that’s generally the point where digestive problems begin. By chewing more, you’re automatically eating slower, which gives your stomach the opportunity to ‘feel full’ so you don’t overeat.

Wait to lose weight. Eating has its own momentum: The tongue enjoys the pleasure of taste, while the stomach and small intestine need time to digest and nourish the body. If you eat too fast, your digestive system doesn’t get a chance to let you know when you’ve eaten enough. When we don’t give the digestive system time to send this message - before going back for ‘seconds’ and ‘thirds’ - we ‘stuff’ ourselves. Then we not only feel uncomfortable, we’re also faced with a choice that the tongue didn’t tell us about: either start exercising to burn those excess calories, or be prepared to gain some unwanted weight.

Take a Walk. Whether you’ve eaten too much, or just the right amount, instead of sitting around after you’ve finished eating, grab one, two, three or more of your fellow celebrants and go outside and take a walk for about 15 minutes. You’ll not only feel good by giving your digestive system a boost ... you’ll also have room for ‘a little’ dessert.

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