Cultivating Health with Chinese Medicine

Case Study: Acupuncture for Peripheral Neuropathy

2011-12-14T15:36:00.009-05:00

Case Study:

Successful Acupuncture Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy

As a Sequela of Chemo-Therapy

I have been treating this patient weekly with acupuncture following a total hysterectomy due to endometrial cancer. After the first month of treatment the patient (let’s refer to her as Gwen) began a 6 cycle course of chemo-therapy, administered at 3 week intervals. Gwen responded well to acupuncture, and the side effects of chemo were minimal: fatigue, headache, diarrhea, sensation of heat in the chest and throat.

After the forth chemo treatment Gwen began reporting that the tips of her fingers and toes felt slightly numb. Peripheral neuropathy is a known side effect of chemo-therapy. As the symptoms were mild, and other side effects of the chemo therapy were more prevalent, especially fatigue, I continued addressing the other symptoms and did not begin treating the neuropathy at this point.

After chemo treatment #6 Gwen began to notice the neuropathy in the balls of her feet and then traveling up into the ankles. Gwen’s healthcare practitioners told her the chemo-induced neuropathy is due to disintegration of the myelin nerve sheaths, and is often irreversible. Obviously Gwen did not like this prognosis and asked me if the neuropathy could be addressed with acupuncture.

I was concentrating on the fatigue, low hemoglobin and platelet counts, but added in a few points to the treatment to address the neuropathy. This was acupuncture treatment #20.

The following week Gwen began preparations for radiation treatment one month later. However, the neuropathy was her chief concern.

I do a style of acupuncture called Balance Method ™. With this style we do not needle the affected area directly. To treat the feet, we place the acupuncture needles in the hands. I used what we call a ‘shotgun’ approach, needling the upper limbs from the elbows to the fingers. I used the three yang meridians on the right and the three yin meridians on the left. One week later Gwen noted that the neuropathy “is more concentrated in the feet and ankle area, both dorsal and ventral, not as much in lower leg now”.

I repeated the acupuncture treatment, but this time only needling from the wrists to the fingers. The following day Gwen noted, “Numbness still in two feet, but seems a little better, mainly in toes and just in foot, not ankle or lower leg. Notice a buzzing in left foot, almost like electricity.”

I repeated the last treatment and added Zheng Gu Shui, a Chinese patent, alcohol based liniment that has herbs which improves blood circulation. I applied the liniment to the affected area, wrapped her feet in a towel and placed a TDP heat lamp over the bundle. I have continued the Zheng Gu Shui wrap on all subsequent treatments. I also began needling the sensory line on the scalp, which targets neurological issues. During the treatment Gwen reported increased sensation in the feet. The following day Gwen noted, “Feet feel better after acupuncture. . . Feel more neuropathy in foot but now not so much in leg.”

I repeated the treatment the following week. The next day Gwen reported, “Neuropathy seems slightly better. More in foot with very little in ankle.” Again I repeated the treatment one week later. Several days after the treatment Gwen notes, “Neuropathy is mainly in the feet, top and bottom”.

At this point Gwen began a series of five semi-weekly radiation treatments. I continued the weekly acupuncture treatments addressing the neuropathy. Several days after the acupuncture treatment Gwen notes “ Maybe feel more on bottom of the feet”. At this point I added e-stim (electrical stimulation - a battery pack is connected to wires with alligator clips that attach to the needles to add additional stimulation) to the scalp needles. Gwen reported an electric vibration sensation two days after treatment. She requested that I discontinue the e-stim with the acupuncture treatment.

After this last treatment (#10 for the neuropathy), Gwen finished the course of five radiation treatments with little to no side effects. Several days after neuropathy treatment #10 Gwen noted “neuropathy in feet from toes to middle of the foot”. Later that week Gwen notes “Feet feel a bit stiffer in toes and in the bottom of the foot”. After neuropathy treatment #11 the affected area had further reduced to the ball of the foot to the toes, top and bottom (plantar and dorsum). After treatment #12 Gwen noted, “Neuropathy is mainly manifested in feet, felt underneath ball of foot (metatarsal area) and toes.”

After two additional treatments Gwen reported the affected area was in the toes, and that they felt tight and stiff. At this point I added an internal, granulated herbal formula to strengthen the body from the aftermath of seven months of surgery, chemo and radiation treatment, address chronic rhinitis and the neuropathy. Gwen tolerated the herbal formula without any side effects.

Neuropathy treatment #15: Gwen reports decreased paresthesia: she feels a prickly sensation with pressure on the ball of the foot, bilaterally. She describes her symptoms mainly as tightness in the toes, second and third toes and plantar surface of the feet are primarily affected. Accordingly I changed the acupuncture in the hands. I needled the palmar aspect only, distal to the transverse palmar creases and in the fingers to the second metacarpal, to ‘mirror’ the balls of the feet and toes. As the treatment is uncomfortable I have not needled the tips of the fingers, distal to the second metacarpal joint.

This patient’s treatment is in progress. This is her status after one course of acupuncture treatment for neuropathy. KB

Pearls from the Pema Chodrum Retreat: Living Beautifully with Uncertainty & Change

2011-10-31T21:54:00.017-04:00

I attended a Pema Chodrum retreat this weekend entitled "Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change". Ane Pema, if you don't know, is a celebrity Buddhist nun and inspirational speaker who has written many popular books about adapting to and handling the troubles life brings. During the weekend retreat she offered many pearls to help one adapt to the curve balls life throws at us.

Ane Pema began the weekend Friday night with a metaphor about the river of life. She explained that our tendency is to seek the safety of the shoreline. However our mistake is in our grasping to hang on to the perceived security there. Life, she continued, takes place in the flow of the river, and we can't be afraid to jump in. She could not guarantee that in the river we wouldn't get banged up a bit, repelling on boulders and trying to keep our heads up in the rapids. but the river is where life happens, and where growth occurs. Clinging to the shoreline inevitably causes suffering and pain. We most certainly will get bruised and our hands and arms will get weak in our attempts to hang on to the branches to keep from becoming swallowed up by the flow of the river. On the shoreline we are stagnant. In the river, we move forward wherever life takes us.

I found this metaphor liberating, contemplating that we need to let go of the fear that keeps us clinging to the shoreline of familiarity and a false sense of security and that we must allow ourselves to jump in and flow down the river of life. That we cannot escape the suffering of the river by clinging to the shore. That the clinging to the shoreline is painful and though riding the river will also involve suffering, we must accept that and embrace the flow of the river.

Saturday morning Ane Pema opened with an exercise. She asked us to to remember an interaction that involved difficult feelings and pain. Not an incident that was a 10, but something smaller, a 2-3 (on a 1-10 scale). And to think about the incident and to feel the negative emotions that arose during the uncomfortable situation. Next to ask oneself who is in control here? Are the emotions in control of oneself, or am I in control of the emotions? And to remember this when difficult situations arise triggering negative emotions: who is in control? not to allow the emotions to control us, especially not to allow the negative emotions that often rapidly arise to cause us to do or say something unskillful that would cause pain for ourselves or others.

As we got in touch with the negative emotions and the pain the situation caused us, we ask the emotion to stay while we feel the intensity of the pain and ask ourselves "do i want others to experience this pain?" "do i want to do or say something that would cause this type of pain to arise in others?". its a compassion practice. in answering the questions, we remember in the future to pull back when triggered by negative emotions. "who is in control here"? so that we don't react and unwisely do or say something that will escalate the situation and bring more pain and suffering to oneself and others.

Its a high spiritual task, that requires putting the matter in which we deal with a situation ahead of the principal or substance at stake during times of conflict.

Hearty food for spiritual contemplation.

After lunch Ane Pema began by talking about charnal ground meditation. Tibetan Buddhists have something called a sky burial practice. Because of the permafrost in the Tibetan mountains, the ground is too hard to bury bodies, and there is not enough fuel to cremate the bodies of all of the dead. So the Tibetan Buddhists began a rite of sky burial. Apologies in advance for the graphic description of the practice here. The Tibetans put the bodies on a high mountain peak for the vultures to take away. But because you wouldn't want the vultures to drop grandmas leg bone in farmer Jone's field, the monks first cut up the bodies into small pieces. The sky burial site is called the charnal ground.

As you can imagine, the charnal ground is not a pleasant place to hang out and during warmer weather is rather unappealing to the nose.

The monks developed a meditation practice called Chu practice, where they go to the charnal grounds to meditate on the strong emotions that arise while being there: aversion, fear and so forth. They watch the emotions arise to examine the emotions: where and how do they arise? how do they feel? are they solid? and do they dissipate? they do this Chu practice to learn how to deal with arisal of negative emotions.

Ane Pema emphasized that you have to go to the charnal grounds and sit amongst the cut up bodies to do this practice. you can't do it by imagining the charnal ground, or going to a serene cemetery with the neatly mowed grass and tombstones with bouquets of flowers lined up in orderly rows. you must do it in the gruesome surroundings on the charnal grounds to fully feel the emotions that arise in that place.

So Ane Pema suggest to let life and the fear that arises during uncertainty be a charnal ground practice. When the fear arises, sit with it, examine it, and watch it as it grows and subsides. Ane Pema pointed out that the emotions cannot exist without a story to feed them. Take away the story and the emotions dissolve. We feed anger with our story of righteous indignation and morality plays of right and wrong. We feed hurt with stories of victimhood or neglect, rejection and so on. We feed anxiety with stories of loss, lack (of security), and helplessness. Take away the story and the emotion dissipates. To take away the story, one must discipline one's mind through meditation not to keep thinking the repetitive thoughts, to stop obsessive thinking.

And one must let go of the shoreline and not be afraid to jump into the river. To do this, one must accept that in the river suffering is inevitable and we do get hurt. But grasping and clinging to the shoreline is not an effective method to avoid life's suffering. Grasping, clinging and attachment to the security of the shore only produces more suffering. Living in the river is a charnal ground practice. the pay off is liberation. KB

Photo by kevin 1040 Flickr Creative Commons 2.0

Savory Chickpea Stew

2011-10-01T12:29:00.003-04:00

In an earlier post with a recipe for Red Cabbage Salad I referenced the macrobiotic chef I interned with who made delicious meals for the students at my acupuncture college, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. I was able to wrangle a few recipes from Nancy for some of my favorite dishes. This Chickpea Stew can also be made as a soup, omitting the squash and the seitan. Its a hearty, one-dish meal, for autumn and winter.

In Chinese dietary therapy, we recommend eating differently during each season. In the spring and summer one eats lighter foods and above ground crops. In the autumn the yin begins to rise. Yin energy represents darkness, cold, quiescence, feminine, earth, sweet, substance and blood. During the autumn season the cool yin begins to assert itself from the warm yang energy of summer. In the yin seasons of autumn and winter we want to nourish yin dietarily, by emphasizing root crops, growing in the earth.

Sweet squashes harvested in the autumn nourish yin. Warm, hearty stews, especially made with root vegetables are particularly beneficial to consume in the cool, yin seasons of autumn and winter.

This Savory Chickpea Stew nourishes the earth element, pertaining to the Spleen and Stomach due to its sweet flavor and golden color. You will relish the subtle blend of flavors. In Chinese medicine we talk about the five phases and organ systems. Each has a season, color, flavor, organ, emotion and sound associated with it. This stew will benefit those with digestive conditions due to weakness or deficiency. Speak to your acupuncturist to find out if you have an excess of deficient problem.

Deficiency is characterized by weakness and fatigue. Those with Spleen Qi Deficiency will commonly experience bloating, gas, belching, fatigue, especially after meals, over-thinking, worrying, racing thoughts, cloudy or foggy-headedness. Thinking is a function of the Spleen system in Chinese medicine. Those with weak Spleens tend to worry, and conversely excessive worrying weakens the Spleen.

Savory Chickpea Stew

3C Chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained

1 strips kombu

9 bay leaves (yea, that's correct, nine)

3 yellow onions, diced

olive oil

celtic sea salt

3 10" pieces burdock root, brushed & cut in rounds

6 cloves garlic, minced

3/8C white miso

3 lemons: zest

1 medium-large winter squash, cubed (butternut, acorn, kombucha, carnival)

12 oz seitan, cubed (wheat gluten product)

filtered water & 1 quart vegetable stock

minced parsley for garnish
cider vinegar

Heat olive oil in bottom of large pressure cooker. Saute onions and garlic with salt until translucent. Add burdock and squash and saute until veggies sweat. Add seitan and saute until slightly golden. Add chickpeas, kombu, bay leaf and cover with 1 1/2 " water/stock combination. Bring to high pressure and cook 30 minutes. Turn off heat and natural release pressure.

Pull out half the beans and mash or puree. Stir mashed beans into stew to give a hearty consistency. Add 3/4C soup to the miso and blend, then add back to stew. Stir in lemon zest. Add cider vinegar to taste to pop flavors. Garnish with minced parsley.

yield: 4 quarts

What is seitan?

Seitan is a wheat gluten product found in the refrigerator section of the natural food store, near the tofu and tempeh. its fairly high in protein for a vegetable source: 6 oz contains approximately 20g.

Photo: Avlxyz, flickr Creative Commons 2.0

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Patients with Blood Cancers

2011-09-08T13:41:00.001-04:00

I am giving a talk about acupuncture and Chinese medicine for patients with lymphomas and blood cancers on Monday, September 12 at 5p at the Wellness Resource Center, 50 Doctor's Drive, West Annex, Asheville, 28801.

This will be for a family support group for patients with blood cancers and their caregivers, offered through Mission Hospitals CancerServices and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

"Thisgroup is for people living with Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma,Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or Primary Amyloidosis and also their caregivers who

livein the Asheville area and surrounding countiesof western North Carolina."

Group Facilitators:

Leslie Verner, RN, BSN, OCN, CCRP - CancerOutreach Coordinator

Jere Howell, MS-Clinical Psychologist

Date: Monday, Sept 12, 2011 (Meets the 2^nd Monday ofevery month)

Time: 4:00 –6:00 PM

Upcoming Dates: Oct 10, Nov 14, Dec 12

§ To register and get directions to the easyaccess location and parking, please contact Leslie Verner, RN, at 828-213-4656or 800-443-2233.

Please come and tell those with blood cancers or lymphomas you love about it. KB

Developing a Loving Kindness Practice

2011-09-05T11:12:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I finished a book I had been reading by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: How to Expand Love. Since reading the book a year ago, I have been working on developing a personal or loving-kindness practice. My goal is to being to feel loving-kindness towards all living beings. A lofty goal to achieve, I have taken the first step at the beginning.

A loving-kindness meditation I was recently taught begins with thinking of a loved one and feeling the loving-kindness one feels towards that being: wishing this being love, peace, happiness, security and freedom from suffering, pain, and harm. The idea is to experience the depth and feeling of loving-kindness. Next one moves to a teacher or master, someone one respects, and again feeling the loving-kindness one feels for this person, wishing this person love, peace, happiness, security and that s/he will be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Again experiencing the depth and feeling of loving-kindness one feels for this respected person.

Next one moves to oneself, wishing this feeling of loving-kindness for oneself. That I will enjoy love, peace, happiness, security and be free from suffering, pain, and harm. Experience the feelings of loving-kindness, the wish of peace, happiness and security and desire to be free of pain, suffering and harm.

Lastly, one expands these feelings outward. If one is meditating in a group, wishing that everyone in the room will enjoy happiness and and the causes of happiness, be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Alternatively one can work outward in the four directions, wishing peace and happiness for everyone in front of oneself, then in back, then to the sides: to the right, to the left.

Then one continues to cycle through the four phases, noticing what comes up during the practice. Initially I noticed a deep desire for peace and happiness, and freedom from pain and suffering. I saw that all living beings share this same longing, and that I wish all other beings freedom from pain and suffering, out of the same desire that I wished it for myself.

After one practices the meditation for some time, one will be ready to begin expanding it ever outward, first to neutrals: the supermarket cashier, the call center person, the bank teller and so on. People you interact with but don't have feelings for: either of love or anger.

Then one begins the harder work: wishing those towards whom one harbors feelings of anger or resentment peace, happiness and freedom of pain and suffering. Next one works with those one has deeper feelings of anger and mistrust, those one might consider enemies. This group is difficult, but worthwhile to master.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama explains the steps of this practice in his book, How to Expand Love. It is an interesting practice of self-exploration, to be sure. Of course the ultimate goal is to take the practice off the cushion and into one's daily life. One could practice emanating feelings of loving-kindness outward in the four directions while sitting in traffic or at the grocery store line.

Recently while practicing I realized that all beings suffer, just like I, many suffer 1,000 times more. I try to remember this especially when interacting with those with whom there is a history of anger, resentment and mistrust. Just like me these people suffer. Remembering that those who have been a source of hurt or harm are also suffering helps one develop compassion towards those with whom relationships are difficult. I believe this is one of the steps towards forgiveness. I have found remembering this takes some of the edge off the sharpness of the negative emotions one feels.

I recently noticed myself harboring and fueling negative thoughts towards a party who has hurt me deeply. I saw that this destructive path was only causing further suffering for myself. The solution I found is to not allow the mind to go down this rabbit hole of misery. When I caught my mind going down the path of negativity, I stopped it and reminded myself that this path does not lead to enlightenment. It only leads to the hell realm, and I was only causing myself pain by traveling down it. To provide a healthier alternative for my active mind, I did the loving-kindness meditation. When found my mind wandering down the familiar path, I again reminded myself that this path only leads to more suffering.

One morning when practicing the loving-kindness meditation I realized that the warm, peace of loving-kindness is where I would like to reside. That this oasis from the misery of the negative emotions: anger, resentment and ill will is where I wish to dwell. This desire increases my motivation to continue the loving-kindness practice. It is simply a more pleasant place to be. The payoff of harboring negative emotions is misery for oneself. Though fueling these emotions can sometimes be seductive, the place that path leads is pain and suffering. Practicing loving-kindness is the way to peace and happiness, for all sentient beings. KB

Photo: acaben, flickr Creative Commons 2.0

Herbal Poison Ivy Remedy

2011-07-30T00:41:00.012-04:00

I learned a couple of herbal poison ivy remedies in a Kitchen Herbs class I took a few years back. I don't have any feedback as to efficacy, so please add comments with your experiences.

There are two easily accessible Chinese herbs that treat poison ivy. Both are weeds that are ubiquitous in the summer. The first is Ge Gen, or Kudzu powder. You will find this in the macrobiotic section of natural foods stores. Ge Gen is the root of the kudzu vine, which grows over everything in the Southeastern United States: trees, bushes, signs and telephone poles.

You'll find the second in your backyard lawn: dandelion.

You can take dandelion and kudzu internally as a tea. Kudzu is a white powder, and can be used to thicken sauces. Use a tablespoon or so in a tea made with dandelion leaves. Drink several times a day. You can also use kudzu as a skin wash for legions (rash).

Dandelion can be steeped as a tea and added to bath water to sooth the skin. In Chinese herbal theory, dandelion clears heat and toxins, and hones to the Lung, which rules the skin. Poison ivy rashes are red and itchy, indicating heat toxins. You'll want a strong tea for this purpose. Fill the pot with the leaves, cover with water and steep for 30 minutes or so.

Ge Gen, or kudzu releases the exterior. Chinese herbalists also use Ge Gen to relieve neck and shoulder pain, especially associated with colds or cold weather.

Jewel weed grows in the Southeast and is also used to treat poison ivy, though not a Chinese herb. Mash the stems and rub the juice on the skin to sooth outbreaks, or as a preventative before or after possible exposure, as demonstrated in this You Tube video. KB

photo: Muffit, flickr creative commons 2.0

Warm Up Your Fruit Smoothies With a Little Ginger

2011-07-10T12:28:00.004-04:00

I was in Greenlife (Wholefoods) yesterday and noticed a juicing demonstration in the produce section. I know many like to juice, especially in the summer. As a vegan, lately I have been relying on fruit smoothies as a valuable source of protein: they are a convenient way to take protein powder. However, in Chinese dietary therapy, we advise against consuming cold, raw foods. So I advise adding a little ginger to warm them up. Here's why:

In Chinese medicine, the Spleen system is responsible for digestive function. The Chinese Spleen system includes other functions, including aspects of the immune system. We consider digestion a warm transformation: heat is required to break down foods into nutrients the body can absorb, and waste for excretion. Ingesting cold, raw foods weakens the Spleen because it requires it to do extra work to raise the food to a temperature suitable for its transformative function to take place.

When the Spleen is weakened, one becomes fatigued because Qi (energy) is not being manufactured from foods due to poor Spleen function. Digestive problems occur, including loose stools, low appetite, pain and nausea. Immune function is weakened: allergies, frequent colds and flu are typical signs of Spleen Qi Deficiency.

So in Chinese dietary therapy, we strongly advise against eating cold, raw foods, which means no juicing. However, as a vegan, I understand the reason for smoothies. So if you feel you absolutely must juice, do it sparingly and add something warm: garlic, cayenne pepper or ginger. Ginger works well for sweet juices and smoothies and adds a certain spicy zing. As an added benefit, ginger is a digestive aid and warms the Spleen. Try adding 3 slices.

Please do not use frozen fruit or ice in your smoothies. This only makes the drink colder, causing more damage to the delicate digestive system. KB

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Photo: Flickr Jose Carlos Cortizo Perez, Creative Commons 2.0

Your Body is Your Garden: We Must Cultivate Our Health

2011-07-05T21:31:00.014-04:00

I spent this holiday weekend planting my vegetable garden. Yes its a late start, but I'm actually right on time for a crop of fall vegetables: spinach, chard, peas, beans, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, parsley and cilantro. I'm a novice gardener so it's a bit of Plant and Pray. I picked up a couple of vegetable gardening books, one of which, Dick Raymond's Joy of Gardening has become my new vegetable growing bible. I'm realizing why I haven't had auspicious success in my past efforts. Gardening is work. You don't just put seeds in the ground and wait to pick. There are a many techniques and cultivation methods one must employ to achieve a bountiful harvest.

While remarking about this to a patient today, and it occurred to me that cultivating one's health is a lot like gardening: You can't just go through life living however you please and expect everything to turn out alright, healthwise. Like crops in the garden, health must be cultivated. In the garden, there are three basic fertilizers: nitrogen to grow green leaves, phosphorus to develops roots, important for root crops like beets and carrots, and potassium important for growth and development of the plant and fruiting. Likewise we must fertilize our bodies by eating well: watch the documentary film Super Size Me to see what a diet of fast food causes, including obesity, depression and hypercholesterolemia.

We can't just eat whatever we want and expect to enjoy our health. Optimally a balanced diet of organic foods, mostly plants and avoiding greasy, fried, sugary and spicy foods. In Chinese dietary therapy we refer to the Qing Dai diet or Clear, Bland diet: a diet emphasizing litely streamed vegetables, free from rich sauces or heavy meals with gooey desserts.

In addition to the NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) the vegetables require other nutrients and trace minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Sound familiar? We need a wide variety of foods, including vegetables of all colors to provide all the vitamins and minerals we need.

Sea vegetables are loaded with trace minerals we don't usually get from other sources. Many sea veggies, such as wakame, kombu, hijiki and arame are high in calcium, containing 800-1300g/100g. For comparison, spinach and cow's milk have 93 & 118g/100g. The calcium in sea veggies are an easier form for your body to digest, and do not cause stone formation. In fact, in Chinese herbal medicine we use 2 sea veggies, hai zao and kombu to dissolve cysts, masses and tumors.

In addition, the gardener or farmer puts a great deal of effort into taking care of plants: covering to protect from frost or pests, planting the seeds at the proper time, trellising or hilling to provide support, building up the soil and so on.

Likewise we must take care of our bodies with proper lifestyle: making sure we get proper rest and don't overwork, exercising regularly, practicing meditation, yoga, qi gong and other stress management techniques and living in harmony with our environment.

My point is that just as the gardener takes care of the crops, we must cultivate health with right living and preventative care. Regular acupuncture treatments keep the body functioning in optimal condition and helps to manage stress, just as one takes the car in regularly for oil changes and tune ups. This becomes more important as the body begins the aging process, after 40y. We need to give it extra support, as the gardener fertilizes the crops to encourage strength and healthy growth. KB

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Photo: flickr ItzaFineDay Creative Commons 2.0

FDA Warns Against Anemia Drugs for Cancer Patients: Chinese Medicine Effective Treatment

2011-06-27T10:46:00.011-04:00

The FDA issued a strong warning that will go on labels for three widely used drugs that treat anemia for cancer and dialysis patients: Procrit, Aranesp and Epogen, saying the drugs cause stokes and cardiac problems and speed the growth of malignant tumors. Fortunately for these patients there is a safer therapy available that effectively increases blood cell production: Chinese medicine.

Several organizations have endorsed the use of acupuncture for cancer treatment. The National Cancer Institute notes western studies are beginning to be done that show efficacy of acupuncture in increasing blood cell counts:

Scientific studies on the use of acupuncture to treat cancer and side effects of cancer began only recently. Laboratory and animal studies suggest that acupuncture can reduce vomiting caused by chemotherapy and may help the immune system be stronger during chemotherapy. Animal studies support the use of electroacupuncture to relieve cancer pain. Laboratory and animal studies have also looked at how acupuncture works for cancer treatment, such as the role of acupuncture in stimulating immune functions, including increasing blood cell count and enhancing lymphocyte and natural killer cell activity.

The Mesothelioma society agrees:

Furthermore, animal cancer studies have shown that acupuncture spurs blood cell production and lymphocyte activity. The end result of these processes is an increase in immune functions.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure, affecting the lining of the lung.

The Huffington Post also recommends acupuncture for cancer patients to improve blood cell production:

Immune System Modulation: Many cancers and many cancer treatments cause a suppression of the bone marrow, the source of blood cells that are the army of the immune system. Acupuncture increases blood cell production and enhances Natural Killer Cells and Lymphocytes which leads to increased immune response and decreased risk of infection.

Chinese medicine improves red and white blood cell production, including lymphocytes and neutrophils. Though western studies emphasize acupuncture, herbal formulas are particularly important in raising blood cell counts. There are many blood building formulas with a proven track record. In my practice, I have seen blood cell counts markedly improve when acupuncture patients add Chinese herbs to their treatment plan.

Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is part of the Chinese medicine Kidney system. Many kidney tonic herbs and formulas are known for increasing marrow. Chinese herbalists use a strategy of tonifying the Kidney, Blood and the Spleen to increase blood cell counts.

The spleen stores white blood cells. Chinese medicine considers the Spleen an important component of immune function. In Chinese medicine the Spleen responsible for extracting the nutrients from food necessary to build qi (energy) and blood. Patients with low blood cell counts usually suffer from fatigue, so building qi to improve energy is also an important component of treatment. Tonify the Kidney and Spleen improves fatigue. Peony root and angelica are commonly used blood tonic herbs. Ginseng is a famous qi tonic that builds Kidney energy.

I hope that patients and conventional medical practitioners will become more open minded about integrating Chinese medicine as a safe and effective option in treatment plans for cancer patients.

Acupuncture Reduces MS Symptoms and Improves Quality of Life

2011-06-02T12:28:00.010-04:00

I'm going to be speaking to members of the Asheville MS Support Group on Thursday June 9th, 1:30-2:30 at West End Bakery on Haywood Road. In preparation I spent afternoon yesterday googling to see what is on the Internet showing acupuncture's effectiveness in treating MS. I posted many links on my facebook page and thought I would also include them on my blog so that they could be easily referenced in the future.

The MS Trust, a charity in the UK includes this thoughtful discussion about acupuncture for treating MS. Acupuncturist and author Jill Brooks includes a list of MS symptoms that respond well and those that have a mixed efficacy for acupuncture treatment.

Alien Sheng sums up acupuncture benefits for MS patients for the American Chronicle:

Acupuncture treatments for Multiple Sclerosis have had much success in reducing pain and decreasing spasticity. Another area of success is improved bladder and bowel control. The reduction of stress and the improved feeling of well being contribute to an improvement in quality of life. The acupuncture treatments must be given frequently in order to maintain the improvements of symptoms, but Multiple Sclerosis is known for its cycles of remission. During periods of remission, the frequency of the acupuncture treatments can be reduced.

This Acupuncture Today article discusses the use of scalp acupuncture for MS patients. They are many styles of acupuncture, including a number of different systems for using the scalp to map out the body. In one scalp system commonly taught in acupuncture colleges, to which the authors refer, there are motor and tremor lines on the scalp. Certain areas on the lines relate to different parts of the body: arms, legs, hands and so forth. I have used successfully used scalp acupuncture for various motor problems, including MS, Bell's Palsy, and Parkinson's disease. In this article the authors cite several remarkable case studies documenting immediate improvement in MS patients using scalp acupuncture.

Drs. Kopsky and Hesselink of the Institute of Neuroacupuncture in the Neatherlands discuss two cases of MS patients with bladder dysfunction (a common problem) which responded well to electoacupuncture. In electroacupuncture, a battery device with wires and clips are hooked up to strategic acupuncture points to increase stimulation of the needles during the treatment. Electroacupuncture is often used in pain treatments. I use it for labor induction and with scalp acupuncture for neurological disorders. Results are satisfying.

Fellow PCOM alumni, Kimberly Thompson, LAc (from my acupuncture college Pacific College of Oriental Medicine) discusses various Chinese pattern differentiations and applicable acupuncture points. In Chinese medicine, we use an individualized diagnosis method. I discuss briefly go into this concept on the Chinese Medicine page of my website. I also explain pattern diagnosis when describing treatment for specific conditions in blog post and articles.

I found a couple of instances where MS patients described there own experiences with acupuncture. The MS Resource Center in the UK discusses Kathy Kelvnik, a hospital coordinator who MS was so advanced she was rendered unable to work until acupuncture got her back on her feet again

Kathy Kevnick sought Dr. David Bilstrom's help after her MS left her unable to work. She couldn't walk. Steroids no longer worked. Neither did chemotherapy.
Weekly acupuncture sessions have helped Kevnick eliminate 80% of her medications and return to work full time as a hospital coordinator."It's changed my life. I had medical bills of $42,000 the year before I started acupuncture. Now my bills are acupuncture & massage therapy.

On Acupuncture.com Duane Perron tells his compelling story with MS and acupuncture treatment. He sums it up,"Finding a good acupuncturist is like finding a good doctor....and it seems you have finally found your angel." KB

Impermanance. Or Change You Can Believe In

2011-05-15T21:07:00.008-04:00

I woke up this morning with a moment of clarity about impermanence. Impermanence is a Buddhist concept that many westerner's have difficulty grasping. But this morning I saw clearly how our refusal to accept impermanence maintains the bondage of our suffering.

We try to achieve materialist goals we set for ourselves: home ownership, a new car, steady, rewarding employment and so on. I'm not saying its wrong to strive for these achievements, but our mistaken belief that once achieved these things will last leads to our suffering when we lose them.

I suppose the recent tsunami in Japan, tornado's in Alabama and other southeastern states, and flooding along the Mississippi has made me realize how quickly we can lose everything we've worked for.

Home ownership is an American dream, and once in our grasp we spend much time investing our energy to customizing our homes to meet our desires. We work under the false assumption that the home will always be standing. Even if we do not live in a flood zone, we can lose our home to fire or our valuables to burglary. Yet we labor under the false assumption that we will always have our home and its contents until we decide to sell. When disaster strikes, we are mentally unprepared to lose all that we have labored to achieve, and thus suffer from our loss.

I am suggesting that our materialist approach to life, working to accumulate things, causes our pain when we inevitably lose them: a fine china platter breaks, a new car gets hit in the parking lot. We falsely assume that our cherished ones will stay in optimal condition, and consequently suffer when they inevitably degrade. This idea also applies to the people and pets we love.

I'm not saying it's wrong to fixed up a home, or buy a piece of artwork. What i am saying is that we should do so knowing that tomorrow the house could be lost, rather than working under the presumption that our treasured ones will be with us always, and in the same condition as they are in today.

This recession has shown that jobs are fleeting. We may even have to leave our painstakingly constructed cocoon to find employment in another city or state. It is our blindness to the impermanence of our situation that causes the pain from our loss of what we held dear.

Rather, I propose, if we operated under the premise that nothing lasts, we might live a more nomadic existence. Our priorities would shift so that we wouldn't focus on accumulation and we be more prepared to shift with life's winds. Consequently, change would be expected. We would be ready for it and would suffer less pain from loss.

Try it on and see what shifts for you. KB

Boston - Style Baked Beans & Blue Cornbread

2011-03-27T20:51:00.019-04:00

These baked beans are not really baked, but they are easy and mouth-watering delicious. I like to make a large quantity as beans freeze well, and these are winners at potlucks. I team it with Blue Cornbread, a favorite quickbread of mine that I've been baking for many years.

The (not) baked beans recipe comes from my dog eared and adored cookbook (the velveteen rabbit on my cookbook shelf), Peter Berley's The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. Peter was the executive chef at NYC's Angelica Kitchen, my favorite vegetarian restaurant there, a standard established in 1976. The Angelica Home Kitchen cookbook is my also often used but not so dog eared favorite.

Boston (not) Baked Beans

I've used lots of combinations of beans here, all work well, so it's really up to your imagination and your pantry. Peter suggests pintos or northern beans. I like cranberry and rattlesnake beans, when i used to be able to find them. I like to do a combination of different beans. One year I tried 1/2 Lima's (believe it: they were good) with 1/3 navy, 1/3 northern and 1/3 white cannelini for the other half. My note in my books says "delicious". Another time i combined pintos and kidneys. I've also done all northern. It's a fool-proof recipe that works well no matter what you use. Most recently i did a black soybean, Appaloosa and red bean combo. I tend to think i prefer the white bean combo

6C dried beans, sorted and soaked overnight
2 onions, cut in half stuck with 4-5 cloves - peeling unnecessary
3 celery ribs, with leaves, broken in half
3 carrots, broken in half
9 cloves garlic, not necessary to peel
1 strip kombu
6 slices ginger root (3/16" thick)
2 bay leaves
1/3C olive oil
water to cover
3/4C maple syrup
1/2C tamari soy sauce
2T Dijon mustard
celtic sea salt
freshly ground blk pepper

Optional: first saute the veggies in the oil. or just combine the beans and veggies and salt a pressure cooker and cover with 1" of water. bring to a boil, skimming off foam. attach lid and bring to full pressure, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes.
release pressure by running pot under cold water. remove veggies and discard.

(i collect the discarded flavoring veggies and spices as well and veggie scraps in a bag in the freezer. when it gets full i use them to make veg stock. for more, see the last item on this post.)

heat the beans on a medium flame. add the syrup, soy sauce and mustard. cook, uncovered for 30 minutes or so until "meltingly tender". the liquid will thicken into a rich sauce. add pepper to taste. Voila.

Why Celtic sea salt?

this type of salt is loaded trace minerals from the sea, accounting for its grey color. many of these have few other dietary sources.

Why Kombu, and What is it?

Kombu is a sea vegetable, sold in the macrobiotic section of natural food stores, and co-ops. When cooked with beans, it aids their digestibility and also adds valuable trace minerals we normally would not include in a daily diet. 100g provides 800mg of calcium, 300mg iodine, 150mg phosphorous, a whopping 5800 mg of potassium & 430 ius of vitamin A. Keep in mind that 1 strip of kombu weighs about a half a gram. After cooking the beans, pull out the Kombu and either compost it or finely chop it and mix it into your pet’s food to add the trace minerals to their diet.

I am fortunate to come from a family of cooks. Both my grandmothers made delicious meals. My maternal grandmother was considered a gourmet in her day. I remember standbys she made, like potato, split pea and lentil soups, apple butter and apple sauce, kidneys (i didn't touch them, but apparently my mother requested them), spaghetti sauce (gravy), lots of jams and so on. She would come to our house once a month for a week, cook up a storm, and load the pantry until her next visit. it would sure be nice to have her around to do that for me, as an adult. she was helping my mother raise a family. that was her generation. so i lived in a house full of home cooked food. no packages or cans, that was her conviction.

my mother is not so much a gourmet, she makes solid wholesome staples, like fresh green salads, steamed veggies, rice. she to served her family fresh, balanced meals. typical a meat, generally broiled chicken, lamb chops or beef, a steamed vegetable and a starch or grain. nothing stands out for the latter category, but i am sure that it was represented on the plate. my father, typical male, liked to bar-be-que: chicken, steaks or ribs. he always enjoyed cooking and has taken over the kitchen in retirement (to my mother's great joy). he also is a gourmet and adventurous. you name it, he makes it, really.

so true to my genes, i began cooking as a teenager, taking over for my working mother. i got tired of late, simple meals so started getting creative: coq au vin, ratatouille, if the picture looked appetizing i wanted to try it.

however, when as a young woman i changed to a vegetarian diet, i found cooking impossible. i couldn't just modify all the ingredients and turn the dishes into veg-friendly offerings: it didn't work. i couldn't rely on a no-brainer, broiled meat and a veggie, and couldn't find an easy plant based protein to sub for the meat.

i was living in NYC at the time, and fortunately discovered the Natural Gourmet Cooking School, where i learned to cook again, this time vegetarian. i have favorite dishes i'm still making from those invaluable classes.

This cornbread recipe comes from one of their basic series cooking classes, this one taught by Tim Aiken. I've done some modifying over the years, and now have this standby that i still make often.

Blue Cornbread

2C blue cornmeal

2C spelt flour

2T Baking pwd

2C water

1/2C coconut oil, melted

1/3C raspberry brown rice syrup

1t sea salt

preheat oven 400.

whisk wet (and salt) and dry ingredients together in separate bowls. add the wet ingredients to the flours, blend well. pour into a 9x9" baking pan and bake 400 for 10 minutes (8 min convection). reduce heat to 375 and bake 30 min (23 min convection) until lightly browned. cool and cut into squares. serve with Earth Balance margarine.

Why blue cornmeal?

i have an adventurous palate, and like to try anything different (yellow and purple cauliflower are favs). so when i saw the blue cornmeal, i wanted to give it a try. i think its a little heartier and more flavorful than yellow.

i use spelt flour to avoid wheat (even though its a cousin). i use the pastry flour, its lighter for baking.

Tip

use pampered chef stoneware baking pans. they don't require greasing and they are easier to clean. the company recommends against soap. just soak in warm water and loosen and remove any stuck food with a brush. KB

The Formula For Longevity

2011-03-22T00:13:00.002-04:00

(Translated from a Chinese scroll)

For a person to live 100 years should not be uncommon,
Less meat, more vegetables, and warm tea makes a healthy spleen [digestion],
To live a healthy long life has a secret,
Picky eating and over drinking over time becomes disease,
Go to bed early, wake early, over-sleeping has no benefit,
Use medicinal herbs [medicines] carefully,
When you are ill, seek medical care,
There should be balance between work and rest,
Work and rest should have regularity,
Keep a positive outlook and an open mind,
When encountering things, don’t rush,
Be sure to breathe plenty of fresh air,
Less stillness and more activity will increase your vitality,
Your environment should be neat and clean,
Get plenty of sunlight,
Martial arts and qi gong will bring out your exuberance,
Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting strengthen the mind and make the body healthy,
Running and exercise have great benefit,
Be disciplined with your diet,
Smoking and drinking should be avoided,
Physical work can prevent illness and dispel disease.

Asparagus Risotto

2011-03-20T23:45:00.013-04:00

Asparagus were on sale at Greenlife/Whole Foods in Asheville this Saturday. In honor of the vernal equinox, i picked up a bunch and made my yummy spring risotto. This is a hearty dish. I combined a couple of recipes i found in 2007 & 2008 in the NY Times and did my own thing with them. One is the Pope's Risotto, a dish developed for the Pontiff's 2008 spring visit to NYC. Age 81 at the time, the Pope requested bland dishes that were light and seasonal, so this asparagus, peas and fava bean risotto was developed to suit the papal entrails.

The other is from my favorite food columnist, Mark Bittman's The Minimalist. Typical of his recipes, this Asparagus Risotto is simple, easy and mmm, mmm good.

so here's Kath's Yummy Spring Risotto with Spinach/Onion Pesto Sauce

For the Risotto:
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces, tips reserved. remove any thick stems.
1 1/2 lbs Arborio rice
4C veg stock
2C water
2T olive oil
3T Earth Balance margarine
1/3 medium red onion, medium-small dice
1 portabello mushroom cap, large dice
1/2C peas (frozen OK)
1/2C white wine
1+t Celtic sea salt, to taste
3-4T vegan Parmesan
3-4T hemp nut seeds
1/3-1/2C toasted pine nuts

For the pesto:

1C packed spinach leaves, washed
1/4-3/8C packed sliced chives: 2-3
1/2C+ olive oil
1/4t Celtic sea salt

Steam half a bunch of the asparagus stalks (no tips) until soft, approx 5 min.

Put stock & water in separate pans and heat on low.

In a large, deep stir-fry pan, heat the oil and 1T of the margarine on medium heat. When its hot, add the onion, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 min.

While the onion is cooking, puree the steamed asparagus stalks in a food processor (yes, u get to use it :), adding enough water to get a smooth paste.

When the onion is soft, add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy, about 5 min. Add the wine, stirring until the liquid bubbles away. Add salt. Begin adding the warmed stock, 1/2C-1C at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time the stock has about evaporated, add a little more.

While the risotto is cooking, blend the pesto ingredients together in the food processor: put the veggies in the bowl and add the olive oil in a stream thru the hole at the top.

When the risotto has cooked about 15 min, add the remaining asparagus and tips, mushrooms and peas (if using fresh peas).

When the risotto becomes tender with a slight crunch (after about 30+ of cooking time) add the asparagus puree and peas (if using frozen). Remove from heat, add the Parmesan, remaining butter, hemp seeds and pine nuts, stirring well. add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a spoonful of pesto over the top. Enjoy. KB

Why Celtic sea salt?

this type of salt has more trace minerals, many of which have few other dietary sources.

Why hemp seeds?

Hemp seeds are high in protein, especially important for those on a plant based diet. You can stir it into rice and grains and sprinkle over veggies and salads. they are about the size of sesame seeds, with a mild flavor.

Why Gou Ji Berries?

2011-03-09T10:15:00.021-05:00

Gou Ji berries have become a health trend in the past few years. These small red berries were plucked out of Traditional Chinese Medicine's (TCM) Materia Medical (catalogue of herbs and other medicinal substances, like shells and animal products). I've seen it included in a range of products and snack foods, such as smoothies and trail mix. Their popularity has shot up the price and reduced its availability. Lately I have discovered that several of the natural food stores in Asheville, NC are not able to obtain it for their shelves. But contrary to popular belief, this tonic herb should not be used for general consumption.

In Chinese herbal medicine, Gou Qi Zi, Lycii Fructus (lycii berries) tonifies Liver and Kidney yin and blood and brightens the eyes. Yin and yang are polar opposites and in Chinese medicine we use the concept of yin and yang to help explain and treat disease processes in the body. Yin refers to female, quiescence, cool, darkness, earth, feminine, night, moon and water. In the body, substance and blood are yin.

The kidney organ system in Chinese medicine house the root of yin and yang in the body. It also rules the aging process, from conception, through puberty and maturation, as well as decline until eventually we die because the kidney energy has exhausted itself.

The liver in TCM stores blood. For women, at the time of the menses it sends the blood down to the uterus to be expelled. The liver channel begins at the big toe and travels up the inside of the leg, through the genitalia, up the side of the torso to the chest. Then it goes internally up to the eyes and top of the head.

Gou Qi Zi nourishes the qi (energy) and blood of the liver and kidneys. We use it for gyn issues involving deficiency and to tonify the liver and kidney systems when they are weak. It is a commonly used herb for those undergoing radiation and chemo therapy, which burns yin and blood.

In Chinese herbal medicine, we classify herbs according to their temperature. Cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, cloves and Sichuan pepper are all warming herbs. Mint and watermelon are cooling. Generally speaking Gou Qi Zi is considered a neutral herb: neither warm nor cold. Of interesting note is a personal antidote mentioned by Zhang Zi-Chun in Essays on Medicine Esteeming the Chinese and Respecting the Western. As a neutral herb, Gou Qi Zi is not considered to have the ability to clear heat. However Zhang disagrees, citing a personal experience when he was waking up feeling hot and drinking a pitcher of water throughout the night. He began chewing 30g of Gou Qi Zi before bedtime. He continued to waken during the night, but didn't feel warm and he reduced his water intake by 50%. (1)

This scenario is commonly seen in perimenopausal women. Traditional Chinese herbalists often include Gou Qi Zi in formulas when treating perimenopause to tonify the kidney yin. This example may show some ability of Gou Qi Zi to clear heat for these women. I frequently use the root of this plant, Di Gu Pi, Lycii Cortex to clear heat for hot flashes.

Because it goes to the eyes, Gou Qi Zi is commonly used for eye problems due to deficiency, such as weakness, floaters and blurred vision. For this purpose, a tea can be made with Gou Qi Zi and chrysanthemum flowers (Ju Hua), using a 10-25 berries and a few dried blossoms. Gently simmer in filtered or deionized water for 10-20 minutes and drink 1-2 cups daily.

Ron Teeguarden notes that good quality berries are thick, bright red, sweet and tender. If they are brownish or dry and crunchy they have been stored too long. (2) The berries can be added to soups, stews and grains, up to a handful per day. Be sure you have blood and yin deficiency before using, by checking first with a traditional Chinese herbalist. KB

______________________________________________________________

1. Bensky, Clavey & Stoger, Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd Edition, 2004 Eastland Press, p760.

2. Teeguarden, Ron, Chinese Tonic Herbs, 1985 Japan Publications. p.97.

Chinese Herbal Medicine vs Prescription Drugs

2011-01-17T09:10:00.006-05:00

Chinese Herbs work differently than prescription medicines. Drugs generally work to suppress a symptom, not cure a disease. An example is diabetes, cholesterol or hypertension medications that control blood sugar, lipids (fats: cholesterol) or pressure only while you take them. If you stop the drug, the symptom persists.

In contrast to pharmaceuticals, Chinese medicine works to cure the disease. The herbs are slower acting: often they do not provide the immediate effect people have come to expect from drugs, such as pain killers or mind altering drugs: anti-depressants, anxiety and insomnia medications. This is because Chinese medicine is working at a deep level to change the bodily processes perpetuating the disease. Turning the ship is a longer term process than whitewashing over a symptom. Therefore it commonly takes a few days, or 1 -2 weeks to begin seeing results with Chinese herbal therapy. Unlike drugs though, Chinese medicine is often able to cure the disease so that in time the drugs and herbs can be withdrawn and the disease & associated symptoms do not reappear.

Another benefit of Chinese medicine is that it does not cause the undesirable side effects seen from prescription drugs.

For more about Chinese herbal medicine see the Chinese Herbs page of my website: BartlettAcupuncture.com KB

Black-eyed Pea Salad

2011-01-11T09:50:00.010-05:00

In the southeast, we like black-eyed peas an collards for New Years. The black-eyed pea bring health (nutrition) and the greens (symbolizing greenbacks) bring $ for the coming year. The beans came to the Carolinas from Africa with the slaves. they were planted around fields to keep down weeds & provide nitrogen to the soil. Cattle munched on the tasty greens. Southerners claim the beans saved families from starvation after Sherman's March ending the Civil War.

Jessica Harris gives tidbits about black-eyed peas interesting folklore in the 12/29/10 OP-Ed piece in the NY Times.

Here's a salad i enjoyed at a 2009 holiday potluck. I'm told the recipe is from the Boathouse restaurant in Asheville. What ever its origins, it's tasty. I couldn't keep away from it! KB

Black-eyed Pea Salad

Low Country style black eyed pea salad

2C dried black eyed peas, soaked overnight

2 cloves garlic

1/4 red onion, diced

1/4 red onion

1/4 bunch fresh cilantro- washed and chopped, stems ok

1 handful cilantro with stems

1 1/2t sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper - ground

1/4t whole peppercorns

3-4T cider vinegar

5T olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin - ground

1/4t cumin seeds

Cover beans with 1'water in pressure cooker. Add the handful of cilantro with stems, 1/4 red onion, garlic, peppercorns, cumin seed, & 3/4t of the salt. Use a teaball for the pepper and cumin seeds. Bring to full pressure, reduce heat to low and cook 10-12 min. natural release, drain beans, remove the spices, cilantro, onion & garlic.

Transfer the beans to a mixing bowl, add cilantro, remaining salt, ground pepper, and ground cumin... put some of the vinegar and oil into the bowl and mix around... the idea is to put enough vinegar and oil in it to coat the beans& veg, but to not totally cover them in the dressing so that they are swimming in the liquid....(if needed add more oil and vinegar).... mix all ingredients together well... cover and refrigerate... this is best if made at least 3-4 hrs before eating it.... after chilling, stir, taste and adjust seasonings to taste if needed.... this recipe tastes great as it sits and continues to marinate...

Baby Lima Bean with Spinach Gratin

2011-01-09T09:08:00.007-05:00

Here’s a favorite recipe of mine that i usually make in the early spring. spinach was on sale at greenlife yesterday, and i remembered this dish. The beans and baking add a heavy, warm, substantial nature to the dish, balanced by the lightness of the fresh spinach greens. The caramelized onions add a natural sweetness and the vinegar gives it that ‘je ne sais quoi’ (that perfect touch of ‘I don’t know what’).

You may not be familiar with Kombu. It’s a sea vegetable, sold in the macrobiotic section of natural food stores, such as Earth Fare or Greenlife. When cooked with beans, it aids their digestibility and also adds valuable trace minerals we normally would not include in a daily diet. 100g provides 800mg of calcium, 300mg iodine, 150mg phosphorous, a whopping 5800 mg of potassium & 430 ius of vitamin A. Keep in mind that 1 strip of kombu weighs about a half a gram. After cooking the beans, pull out the Kombu and either compost it or finely chop it and mix it into your pet’s food to add the trace minerals to their diet.

This recipe comes from Peter Berley’s “The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen”, on of my 2 favorite cookbooks. Cooking and clean-up time: 1 hour.

Baby Lima Bean and Spinach Gratin

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

5T extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¼ C dried baby lima beans, rinsed and sorted and soaked for 24h

2” strip of kombu

2 lbs. Fresh spinach, remove thick stems

1 onion, diced

2t fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Sea salt (course)

Freshly milled black pepper

1 slice sourdough bread

Parmesan cheese (optional, may use freshly grated or rice Parmesan)

2t red wine vinegar

In a large pressure cooker, cook beans covered in 1” of spring water at full pressure (15 lbs.) for 25 minutes. Drain the beans (and reserve the cooking liquid for soup). Set beans aside in a medium, mixing bowl.

Wash spinach and place in a large pot with any water that clings to it. Cover and steam on high heat for 1-2 minutes, until it wilts. Drain and chill in spring water. Squeeze out spinach until almost dry (reserve excess liquid for soup). Chop spinach and add to the beans, set aside.

Heat 4T olive oil in a medium frying pan on medium heat. Add onion, thyme and salt & pepper, to taste. Sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes, until onion is lightly caramelized. Add to bean and spinach mixture and season with vinegar and additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Toast the bread until lightly browned. Remove crust and pound into crumbs in a mortar or grind in a spice grinder or food processor. Combine breadcrumbs with 1T olive oil and Parmesan cheese, to taste.

Rub the bottom and sides of a 6C gratin dish with garlic and brush lightly with olive oil. Spread the bean and spinach mixture in the dish and top with an even layer of breadcrumbs. Bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Alternatively, you could use smaller, individual gratin dishes for entertaining or freezing for future ‘heat and serve’ meals. Dish may be prepared in advance and refrigerated. When ready to serve, take out and let sit until room temperature before baking. Yield: 4-6 servings. KB

Case Study: Chinese Herbs for Flu

2010-12-31T18:01:00.003-05:00

Here’s a little story of a colleague who desperately emailed me earlier this month about an acute stomach flu, seeking suggestions:

I got really really suddenly & violently ill last night - I'm doing much better today. My husband has a final exam in 4 days and it would be really nice if I managed to not pass this on to him.

Three nights ago I stayed with my parents for the night. I was woken shortly after midnight to the sound of pretty wretched vomiting [from her mother]. Last night it was my turn, so it looks like this has a 2 day incubation period. Which would have my husband puking tonight or tomorrow night instead of studying. bad!

Her main symptoms were simultaneous vomiting & diarrhea (sudden turmoil disorder) “Several hours of misery followed” + severe chills and burning pain in the stomach, esophagus and throat. I recommended an herbal formula she might have on hand.

:) I think you may be our hero. I found my bottle of the sudden turmoil formula [her nickname for the herbal formula I recommended] with a whole 12 pills left in it. When my husband started feeling an odd stomach pressure last night we gave him a dose. he said things settled significantly. I won't be sure that he's in the clear until tomorrow with no vomiting, but I've got my fingers crossed and am feeling optimistic.
thank you again.

. . . The week could've been a LOT worse. My husband only ever had one bout of diarrhea, no vomiting at all was pretty much fine. (I think he was eating normally again by the next day. I'm still not quite at normal, but close.) He managed to skip the hours of misery that my parents & I went through. & when I finally got to take my dose of the herbs, it immediately got rid on the awful bouts of heartburn & most of the lingering nausea I'd been having since the vomiting . . . that's far better than the godawful sick we'd had before the herbs. Apparently my mom, who was the first to get sick (10-11 days ago) is still getting queasy after meals, so the two of us got off lightly.

So thank you again, Karoline Gostl, MS, LAc – New York, NY

Study Finds Meditation as Effective as Drugs in Preventing Depression

2010-12-08T09:30:00.017-05:00

Looking to avoid depression or the holiday blues? A recent study published in The Archives of General Psychiatry shows that once the depression had been treated, meditation could be used in place of drug therapy. The medications can be discontinued rather than staying on Prozac or Paxil ad nauseaum. I know this is terrific news as I often have patients telling me they do not like taking drugs, esp. staying on them long term. I have many blog posts about meditation and depression you can look at for alternatives to drugs in order to stay happy.

I recently read an interview with a well known Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh about integrating one's mindfulness practice into daily life to be happy. His ideas illustrate how the study participants were able to be free of depression and medications.

Chinese Medicine is also quite effective in treating emotional disorders: anxiety, depression and more advanced psychiatric conditions. We use a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to address these problems. Acupuncture has well known benefits of reducing stress and releasing endorphins, those 'feel good' biochemicals responsible for the runners high. Often my patients comment after a treatment about how stressed they felt coming in and how much better they feel after.

We use herbs rather than drugs to treat all manner of clinical complaints, including mental-emotional problems. Chinese medicine does an individualized pattern diagnosis. This means that rather than giving everyone with the same complaint the same treatment or herbal formula, we look deeply at the individual nature of each person, and customize the treatment. We call this approach pattern diagnosis.

There are many patterns responsible for psychiatric conditions, too many to name them all here. I would like to describe a couple of common patterns responsible for depression.

Liver Qi Stagnation is a big one, common in our western culture for those under stress. In Chinese Medicine, the Liver is responsible for circulating qi (energy) through out the body, through the channel or meridian system. When we get stressed or tense, we tighten up, and the qi stops flowing. This stuck qi often leads to a physical depression, causing stomach/bowel problems (acid regurgitation, IBS), gyn problems (cramping, moodiness) and hypertension because the qi is not circulating or moving through the organs. Liver patients are irritable, stressed and often have a physical problem in addition to anxiety, depression, insomnia and other emotional problems.

Another common pattern of depression is Yang deficiency. Yang is our body's heat and activity: qi (energy) is yang in nature. When yang is deficient, one feels cold easily or has cold feet. Cold causes qi to slow down, heat causes qi to quicken up. Think ice and boiling water - ice moves at a glacial pace, boiling water has volcanic action. Cold in the body causes qi to slow down in the body, causing a physical depression, which can lead to a mental depression. In this case, the person feels cold, complains of a lack of motivation, just wants to curl up in a ball and retreat from the world.

Once we diagnose the pattern (or combination of patterns involved) we customized the acupuncture point prescription and Chinese herbal formula. A common herb for treating liver qi stagnation is mint. Drinking mint tea is beneficial as it moves and circulates the liver qi, responsible for the qi stagnation. For yang deficiency, warming spices are important to use: cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, fenugreek and cloves.

The combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs is effective in treating mental emotional disorders,and I have successfully gotten many patients off medication. This 2007 study reported on in Psychology Today shows a 50% effectiveness for acupuncture in treating depression. Adding herbal therapy and customizing treatments in private practitioners' offices dramatically increases effectiveness. As a control, studies pick one to 3 protocols, and give them to all participants. Practitioners do much more customization of treatments exponentially increasing efficacy. Dr Allen, the study's author notes in Psychological Science, the precision of needle placement allows for treatment of individuals' personal symptoms—a flexibility drugs just don't offer. KB

An Eloquent TDay Message Reaches From the Past

2010-11-25T10:53:00.006-05:00

This eloquent Thanksgiving Day Proclamation was issued by Gov. Wilbur L Cross of CT in 1936. The Governor's words reach across time to speak to our modern hearts. it begins:

Time out of mind at this turn of the seasons when the hardy oak leaves rustle in the wind and the frost gives a tang to the air and the dusk falls early and the friendly evenings lengthen under the heel of Orion, it has seemed good to our people to join together in praising the Creator and Preserver, who has brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.

Studies Demonstrate Acupuncture Significantly Reduces Insomnia

2010-11-18T18:54:00.007-05:00

This 2007 review of studies confirms that acupuncture significantly reduces insomnia. There are so many Americans who are on sleeping medications needlessly. i see wonderful results in my practice. i usually use a winning combination of acupuncture and herbs. KB

Stress & Anxiety is Caused by the Drive to Avoid Suffering

2010-11-13T08:03:00.015-05:00

The first of the Four Noble Truths given by Sakyamuni Buddha is that life involves suffering. it is our wish, our strong desire, our struggle to avoid suffering that is the root cause of stress and anxiety. Buddhism fundamentally teaches to accept suffering as part of the condition of living. if we can accept the truth of suffering as part of living, then the struggle to prevent suffering diminishes.

of course we have goals in life and we do what we can to achieve them. the struggle against obstructions in our path to achieve our goals causes stress and anxiety due to fear of the suffering involved in not achieving our goals. if we can accept that suffering is part of life, then the stress and anxiety involved in the struggle to prevent this suffering from occurring diminishes.

Sakyamuni Buddha taught that the acceptance of suffering as a noble truth of the condition of living is fundamental to the path of enlightenment. if we can accept that life involves suffering, then when we are confronted with suffering in our lives our inner struggle against it diminishes. we still do what we can to achieve peace and happiness and freedom from suffering for all living beings (which includes ourselves) but we are able to accept the suffering that arises in our lives as a natural course of life. this acceptance of suffering as a natural condition of living decreases stress and anxiety.

the Dalai Lama emphasizes in the book "The Art of Happiness" that adversity is necessary for spiritual development. Mark Howard, MD, elaborates (p181) that if we continually stay in the cocoon of infancy: being coddled, fed soft food and so on, there is no impetus for spiritual growth. the Dalia Lama asserts that the adversity, negative emotions such as anger, hatred, resentment and so on provides the shenpa or the hook. in recognizing shenpa while it is occurring, we are thankful for the opportunity presented for emotional and spiritual growth. (pp178-9) the struggle with avoiding suffering provides the motivation for spiritual growth to occur. emotional and spiritual growth is essential in order to transcend suffering.
so, the Dalai Lama says, we should thank our enemies and the suffering that arises in our lives for the opportunity that comes with it for emotional and spiritual growth. without the shenpa, we will stay wrapped up in our cozy cocoon. while that seems warm, pleasurable and inviting, there we are in a place of emotional and spiritual stagnation. no transformation can occur in that place.

so by accepting that suffering is part of the condition of living, when we are confronted with situations having the potential to cause suffering, we acknowledge that we are going to face suffering in our lives, and this may be one of those instances. that acceptance diminishes the inherent struggle against suffering, thereby decreasing stress and anxiety in our mind. we still try to chart a different course, but with the necessity of avoidance of suffering negated, we preform our actions with the peace of mind that we are getting by as best we can. that suffering may occur. we cannot prevent all suffering from occurring in our lives, and that suffering is necessary for emotional and spiritual growth. thereby we accept our situation with grace, dignity and peace. KB

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Solution to Flu Prevention

2010-11-06T10:23:00.018-04:00

The NY Times reported saturday on the difficulties in developing antibiotics to treat the antibiotic resistant super-viruses which have become common in recent years, causing a serious public health issue. The US is considering subsidies to the pharmaceutical companies to encourage future development. Antibiotics are not typically profitable for the pharmaceutical companies in comparison to drugs for chronic diseases like diabetes, allergies, or HIV. the reason for the lower profit is that antibiotics are only taken for a couple of weeks at which time the disease is cured. Chronic conditions such as high cholesterol, blood sugar disorders, thyroid problems or MS, require lifelong drug therapy as the drugs do not provide a cure. Therefore it is profitable for the pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs to treat these type of disorders. Because of the drug resistant super-viruses, & because flu viruses frequently vary, antibiotics must be changed year to year, so it is more difficult for the pharmaceutical companies to recoup the cost of research and development.

All of this means fewer drugs available to treat flus. So what is one's best strategy for fighting the flu? Prevention.

Prevention means staying healthy. Keeping your body in optimal condition so that the immune system is strong and can prevent the virus from gaining the advantage in the fight. The TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) strategy for wellness highlights preventative care and intervening early, before disease takes hold. In contrast, the western health care model dominate in our country does not stress prevention. Rather, doctors wait for disease to get fairly advanced before commencing treatment. While TCM effectively treats both acute and chronic disease, this distinction in emphasis on preventative care is one of the many important differences between the two diametrically opposed systems.

Prevention includes the basics of eating nutritious food (3 balanced meals/day) getting optimal rest (minimum of 8 hours of sleep) and exercising regularly (several times/week) to keep the body strong. A good percentage of Americans are not emphasizing these basics, especially in this deep recession where we find ourselves running faster and faster on the rat wheel to keep from falling farther behind.

Living a healthy lifestyle takes effort and prioritizing. It is imperative for maintaining health and disease prevention. With the cost of health care skyrocketing in this country, it also makes economic sense to protect one's health as disease treatment is becoming more and more expensive, and insurance companies are covering less and less of the costs.

In addition to the basics of healthy diet, sleep and exercise, other aspects of a healthy lifestyle must be incorporated for disease prevention. Stress reduction is a key factor. Stress is well known to cause illness. One of the first questions i ask patients with acute symptoms of any condition is has your stress level increased recently? after years of experience, i have learned that in over 60% of cases increased stress positively correlates with the onset or exacerbation of any health problem, including neck or back pain, headache, high blood pressure, stomach problems (i can't stomach this situation) MS, chronic illness, colds and flu, and so on.

There are many articles in my blog and on the resources page of my website AcupunctureAsheville.com discussing stress reduction. Briefly this involves identifying and eliminating stressors from your life and implementing stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, qi gong & incorporating quiet time to your life so to help you deal with the life stressors that cannot be eliminated.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy are helpful in calming the mind so that you are more able to deal with life stress. Acupuncture releases endorphins, the feel good chemicals responsible for the runner's high. Acupuncture and herbs reduce irritability, depression, worrying and treat insomnia, all of which weaken the immune system, causing disease to take hold in the body.

Acu/herbal therapy strengthens the immune system, so it can fight off illness. TCM is effective in treating most health problems, including colds and flu. My patients are continually surprised at how quickly TCM methods eliminate colds and flu, or reduce the symptoms so that recuperation comes easier.

So the TCM solution to addressing super-viruses is three-fold. First: living a healthy lifestyle to stay strong so that a virus would have difficulty overtaking you. I haven't looked at the CDC stats on who dies from super viruses, but i'm sure i can postulate that it is the elderly, weak and infirm in much higher numbers that healthy adults. Being healthy is your number one defense against disease.

Second: integrating preventative care techniques. Regular acupuncture treatments keep the body and immune system strong. This might mean monthly treatments during flu season, and 4-6 weeks intervals at other times of the year. There is an oft used herbal formula to strengthen the immune system and prevent the onset of colds, flu and allergy symptoms called Jade Windscreen. Jade refers to something precious (this effective herbal formula) and windscreen means screening out allergens and germs from entering the body. This formula can be taken long-term, from fall to spring, for allergy or cold and flu prevention.

Other preventative care techniques include stress management activities such as tai qi, qi gong, meditation, yoga, acupuncture and Chinese herbs in addition to eliminating stressors from your life.

Thirdly, beginning acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy to treat the disease as soon as it strikes and to help the immune system win the battle against the viral onslaught. KB

NY Times Reports: Only 23% of US Meals Contain Vegetables

2010-09-27T11:26:00.030-04:00

Alarmingly, the NY Times reported Saturday that only 23% of American meals include a vegetable. In that statistic, fries don't count as a vegetable, but paradoxically a piece of lettuce on a hamburger does. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) reported that merely 26% of Americans are eating vegetables 2-3x/day.

Many reasons play apart: chiefly households with both adults working full time and the onslaught on convenience foods. Family dinner might be pizza or fried chicken picked up on the drive home at the end of the work day. Children complain and tired parents give in rather that fight for eating healthy meals. Junk food is so dominate in American diets, that a consortium of farmers put together an ad campaign using junk food packaging to sell baby carrots.

Another reason given that many wouldn't ordinary think about is Americans do not know how to cook vegetables properly. If you see yourself in this category, talk to a vegetarian friend, or look at some of the plant-based, healthy & yummy recipes I've included in this blog (check the recipes label on the left column).

Here's a few more suggestions on tasty and easy ways to enjoy veggies:

Roasted Root Vegetables

In the autumn & winter season, when the weather chills, yin dominates. Yin & yang are polar opposites. Yang is upward, warm, sun, male, activity, etc. Yin is female, dark, quiescence, deep, downward, cool. Spring and summer are yang seasons, and fall and winter are yin seasons. Root vegetables, which grow downward, deep in the cool earth nourish yin, so Chinese dietary advice recommends eating them in the fall & winter. Baking and roasting are recommended cooking techniques in the cool seasons as it warms cool yin.

Roasted root vegetables are easy, delicious and the perfect choice for autumn & winter. I like to do a medley of several different vegetables: beets, carrots, rutabagas (there's a vegetable most people won't eat), yams and winter squash. Whatever is available and you like will be fine. You can also roast singles: beets with rosemary, potatoes with oregano, or baked yams & squash.

Peel the veggies & cut into 1 inch pieces: cube a round veg, like rutabagas, cut carrots into 2" segments, halve or quarter beets, depending on size. Put them into a Pyrex dish (9x12 or 9x9, or larger if you are making a big batch) and drizzle with olive oil. You could add a few above ground vegetables for flavor, such as garlic cloves and quartered onions. Cover with foil and roast @375 for about an hour, shorter cooking time in convection ovens. Bake until tender and fragrant. I make a large batch as the veggies store well and can be reheated easily.

To include the valuable and often missed trace minerals - a rich source is found in sea veggies - toast a sheet of nori, crumble and sprinkle over the top. Nori is used for sushi rolls, and has little favor or fragrance. Find nori in packages in the macrobiotic section of the natural food store.

Nori is high in vit A (a breath taking 11,000 iu's per 100g) is rich in Calcium (470mg) and phosphate (510mg). Many sea veggies, such a s wakame, hijiki, arame & kombu are high in calcium (800-1300mg/100g). For comparison, spinach and cow's milk have 93 & 118mg/100g, respectively. The calcium in sea veggies are an easier form for the body to digest and do not cause stone formation. In fact, Chinese herbal medicine uses two sea veggies to dissolve cysts, masses and tumors: hai zao and kombu. Sea vegetables are an important dietary source of calcium for perimenopausal women. Also of note is the high level of potassium in many sea veggies, such as kombu (5800mg/100g), wakame (6800mg), dulse (8060mg), hijiki (get this: 14,700mg) & arame 3860mg). spinach: 470mg, cow's milk: 144mg.

Try floating a few crumbles of wakame in miso soup, with grated ginger, green onion slices, a tablespoon of cooked rice and some tofu cubes for a calcium rich lunch.

Most sea vegetables are black, which is the color of, and thus hones to, the Kidney. The Chinese Kidney system rules the yin, winter season, so this the optimal time to nourish the Kidney. The flavor of the Kidney is salty and its element is water. So black sea vegetables are an optimal choice for nourishing the Kidneys. The Kidney system holds our deep, reserve energy, called jing qi. The western go, go, go lifestyle depletes Kidney jing, so we must take advantage of every opportunity we have to supplement jing.

To bake winter squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and put a pat of butter in the cavity. put on a cookie sheet, cover with foil and bake 365 for about an hour until tender and fragrant. acorn, spaghetti & delicata and butternut bake well.

Yams can be baked whole or make yam fries: peel & slice vertically into 1/2 - 3/4" x 3" strips. Put strips in a glass dish, drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt & cover with foil. Bake at 375 for about an hour until tender. yummy.

Apple/yam puree for breakfast & dessert

Quarter & core the apples and cut yams into 3" segments. Add cinnamon stick, 1/4 - 1/2 a whole nutmeg, a few cloves (don't overdo them: they have a strong flavor) and whole anise. Either pressure cook on high for 8 min (add enough water to fill the pot to 1/3 of the fruit level) or put in a glass dish, cover with foil and bake at 365 for about an hour until tender and fragrant. Then puree in the food processor (yes, a chance to use it). No sweetener is necessary: this dish is plenty sweet on its own. Toast broken pecans and sprinkle over the top. I make a fairly large batch and reheat for breakfast & a guiltless dessert.

Vegetable soups are easy and warming in the winter. I enjoy a bowl with a piece of fresh baked bread for lunch. (slow bread recipe from Mark Bittman: NY Times food writer.) Butternut and rutabaga work well in pureed soups, as do zucchini & broccoli. I'll include soup recipes in future posts this fall and winter.

Use vegetable stock in place in water when cooking grains: it adds lots of flavor. I save my vegetable & fruit scraps and cooked spices and herbs in a bag in a freezer. I keep a bag of onion skins and garlic peels on the kitchen counter. When the veggie bag is full I put them in a pressure cooker with some fresh carrots, onion, garlic, celery and herbs, salt & pepper & the onion/garlic peels. Cover with water bring to pressure and cook for 12min or so to make vegetable stock. I then store it in the freezer in 1 1/2 - 2C containers to use for cooking grains, beans, or as a base for soups and sauces. Any vegetable or fruit peels, seeds and scraps can be used for this purpose, such as the seeds and pulp from squash, yam peels, apple and pear cores, parsley stems etc.

Using the stock in your cooking will get in a few more veggie servings each day. KB

Poached Pears for Autumn Health

2010-09-22T11:41:00.009-04:00

Poached Pears are a autumn/winter favorite of mine. Chinese dietary therapy says pears nourish the Lung system. So those with allergies, sinusitis and frequent colds & flu's, and skin problems should eat them. Each of the organ systems relate to a time of year, when that system is most venerable to disease/disorder. Autumn is time of the Lung, so eating pears now will help protect the Lung against the dryness of the autumn season.

In medieval times, pears were a delicacy (A Partridge in a Pear Tree - lots of pear trees depicted in medieval art). Enjoy Poached Pears for breakfast or a healthy dessert. You could serve them with a chocolate sauce for guests, but i don't think it's necessary: they stand up well on their own sweet flavor.

You may want to add Gouji berries (gou qi zi) to the cooking water. gouji berries tonify the Lung, Liver and Kidney organ systems in Chinese herbal medicine. The dry autumn air injures the Lung Qi and Yin (moistens tissues). Gouqizi moistens Lung, especially useful for a dry cough (though not often used for this purpose by Chinese herbalists). "In folk medicine, 10g of this herbs are steamed and taken 2-3 times a day for" diabetes. (1)

Poached Pears

Whole pears, or halves
nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves
gouji berries, optional

Put pears in a pot with whole nutmeg, cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves. Sprinkle in the gouji berries & add some spring water (1/2"). Cover, bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for approx. 10 min, until fragrant and tender. remove pears. reduce cooking water to a glaze and drizzled over pears in serving dish. If using whole pears stand them up in the pot. place halves cut side down.

Enjoy! KB

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1. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica Revised Edition, Bensky & Gamble. Eastland Press, Inc. 1993: p. 234.

Eat Your Veggies: Roasted Cauliflower, Yum

2010-09-11T20:00:00.004-04:00

It's a well-known fact that Americans do not eat enough fruits & vegetables. In fact many often go through the day without eating any. Here's an easy & delicious recipe for Roasted Cauliflower. Cauliflower is probably not one of most peoples favorite veggies, but cooked well it is surprisingly tasty. My mother used to bake it in a cheese sauce, which I loved. I find baking it will a little oil is much more satisfying than the usual steamed. Look for purple and yellow cauliflower in a natural food store with an adventurous produce section. It's colorful and more flavorful that the plain standby, white. KB

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
salt & pepper

Rinse and cut the cauliflower into 1 1/2" fleurettes. place in a 9x9 Pyrex dish. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast until fragrant and tender (30 min +/-). Serve.

Inspiration for Overcoming Depression & Adversity

2010-08-21T12:55:00.008-04:00

Depression is not an easy emotion to manage, as the millions of Prozac, Wellbutrin and other household-word drugs attest. It is as individual a disease as the person experiencing the painful mind-state, hence a myriad of treatments, some effective, some not so.

Chinese medicine is effective in treating depression. I have helped many patients find there way to happy thoughts and feelings using acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas which calm the mind and treat the TCM patterns (Traditional Chinese Medicine) causing the imbalance in the body & mind.

Today I'd like to discuss how to shape your frame of mind to see the upside of your life rather than focusing on the negatives. And i do not mean to over-simplify or diminish true problems that may be arising. the point i wish to make here is that regardless of how real or difficult our life problems may be, it is our out look about them that causes us to fall into depression, a state of emotional pain and inactivity, or to focus on the positives of our situation so that we prevent ourselves from falling into the downward spiral.

The technique i am going to outline has worked effectively for me for a number of years. I have begun sharing it with patients who are grappling with difficult life issues and i'm being told that this inspiration is helpful.

This technique involves seeking the positives in any situation. that does not mean pretending a challenge is not difficult. rather, it means finding an upside so that one doesn't wallow in self-pity and victim hood.

I first began using this technique after seeing the movie "Water" at the Blue Ridge Film Festival. What struck me most about this deeply moving piece was the plight of the oppressed women. The movie is set in 1938, the time of Mahatma Gandhi in India. As the movie opens, a young female child is be woken and told that her husband ("Do you remember your wedding?") is dead and you are now a widow. Because the family cannot afford to take care of her, and they are now losing the income from her 'husband' to support themselves, she is being sent off to a 'widows home', where she will live her life in abject poverty. Gold bracelets are broken from her pump wrists, all trapping of wealth removed, her head is shaved. She is deposited at the widows home, where the widows sleep on grass mats on concrete floors in stark, desperate rooms with no furniture, and eat a small portion of bread and gruel for meals. The are ostracized from Indian society: treat as lepers and bad omens. Under these intolerable conditions they live out their lives.

As a woman, i was deeply affected by the images i saw. I felt that by some slim grace of divine intervention i escaped this fate by the luck of a birthright. What if i had been born some years earlier in India? might i have borne this unfortunate circumstance, rather than being a free, educated woman with many opportunities in 21st century America?

The images in the film disturbed me, and i found myself contemplating the circumstances of my life juxtaposed with those of the women represented in this film. Especially when I got low, feeling bad about something that may have happened my life, I would think of these women and look around at where and how i was living. immediately my outlook changed as i realized how fortunate i truly am, and whatever the trouble affecting me, it is minor compared to how difficult life could be.

I found this to be a reliable way of gaining perspective on my situation, and pulling me out of gloomy moods. I began consciously developing the technique as a practice. I would remember trips to mexico and the abject poverty i witnessed there, and added that to the images i would conjure up to remember how fortunate i am to be living here, in this country at this time. In time i found myself becoming happier. I didn't allow myself to go into self pity about an undesirable or 'unfair' circumstance. I began taking adversity in greater stride, realizing how difficult my life could be, and how fortunate i am.

A couple of years ago, I read the autobiography "Infidel" about a muslim woman in africa who suffered much mistreatment, including genital mutilation and being forced by her family into an arranged marriage on another continent. She describes the plight of muslim women as little more than indentured servants, beaten, uneducated and unable to leave their families and survive as individuals on their own. She escapes to Holland, gets freed from this prison of a tortured life, writing movingly about her experience. Her story was an eye opener for me. I was not aware of the pitiful life that muslim women in under-developed countries are forced to lead. Since i have found programs through Global Giving to help these women who are a forgotten percentage of the worlds population. These programs help these women escape abuse, become educated and live independently, an ability western women take for granted.

I added the plight of these Muslim women to my contemplative practice. As i have been cultivating this practice for many years now, i can now draw upon it reliably when times get rough. I think of how much worse my life could be. I draw upon the suffering of the earthquake victims and people of Haiti, the poorest nation on earth, and what it would be like to be in their situation. I think of the flood victims in Pakistan. Recently there was an article in the NY Times about a man who lost everything, home and jet ski business when a decaying dam broke during a summer flood in Iowa. He had no flood insurance, due to the expense of the policy. thinking of these people, i remember that i have a lovely and comfortable home, i have a livelihood that gives me great gratification. When difficulties arise, i remember that others have problems that are exponentially worse, and i can overcome the adversity i face.

No matter how real and difficult problems may be that arise in my life, they pale in comparison to circumstances like these. Though i may feel scared, stressed and blue, i do pull out of it quickly when i call forth these images.

You don't need to use my images, you can cull through your own life experiences to remember those who are suffering. When you think of those who are abused, hungry and truly have nothing, you will be able to put your life problems in perspective. This is a practice one must cultivate to see results. meaning, contemplate the lives of those less fortunate on a regular basis. then, when troubles appears on your doorstep, you'll have a foundation practice to work with to fend them off.

may you find these words useful to help you deal with adversity and difficulties. KB

Excercise Moderates Anger

2010-08-16T13:53:00.004-04:00

There was an interesting article in the NY Times Magazine Sunday about a study demonstrating that exercise diminishes anger. The columnist, Gretchen Reynolds, points out that exercise is long known to improve clinical depression. In this study, University of Georgia men were better able to control their anger after exercising than when they didn't exercise. The researchers didn't test stress hormone or brain chemical levels, though they suspect serotonin is a player here, as low serotonin levels are thought to contribute to mood disorders.

Chinese medicine has known about the relationship of exercise on anger and depression for several millenniums. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, the Liver is responsible. The Liver system in Chinese Medicine has the function of moving our Qi (pronounced 'chee', or energy) throughout the body, through the meridians (channels) and organs. When we get angry, we tighten up. This constriction prevents the liver qi from moving, exacerbating the anger in a vicious cycle. As qi stops moving in the body, physical depression ensues, leading to mental depression.

The remedy is to keep the liver qi moving, and exercise is important to doing so. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas also move liver qi to prevent anger and depression. I've successfully treated hundreds of patients with liver qi issues, and find they respond well to TCM. These liver qi issues can lead to physical problems, such as hypertension and migraine headaches when the stuck liver qi looks for an escape valve, and shoots up to the head. Digestive problems, such as acid reflux, ulcers, GERD and IBS are often due to liver qi not moving in the digestive organs. The stuck qi accumulates heat as it sits in the G/I area, the heat causes acid reflux, GERD and ulcers. IBS is due to the erratic movement of qi, stuck during stress, then moving, causing alternating constipation and diarrhea, related to the emotions. KB

Anxiety, Depression & Fear Allow Us to Avoid Dealing With Life

2010-07-22T12:43:00.008-04:00

Everyone experiences anger, depression, anxiety/fear, some more so than others. Some get overwhelmed and blocked by these emotions.

Did you ever consider how these emotions are coping devices, allowing you to avoid dealing with life's difficulties? When one is caught up in any of these negative emotions we are so consumed by feelings that we avoid dealing with the circumstances causing them. Buddhist's refer to kleshas, mental states which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in unskillful actions.

Anger allows us to feel self-righteous in our view. This burning hot emotion keeps us stuck in seeking vengeance and retribution so that we don't move forward or feel compassion. No progress is made. This emotion allows our wounded pride to dominate so that we stay where we are and avoid dealing with the circumstances in a meaningful, productive manner.

Anger often hides hurt, which can lead to depression. We don't want to feel the hurt, so we stay in our self-righteous anger as avoidance behavior.

In acknowledging the hurt,we must admit that trust was broken, and the other party did not protect our best interests. Either we showed poor judgement in trusting this person/entity, or we must acknowledge their flaws and feelings towards us, which may not be as loving as we would like. Anger allows us to avoid looking at these circumstances and feeling the hurt.

The hurt can lead to depression. Depression is a sinking emotion which slows down all movement, creating inertia. Those suffering with chronic depression are not able to generate the momentum to get out of their situation. This inertia allows us to avoid dealing with the circumstances causing the depression. Life isn't working out as planned. Toxic relationships, dead end or unfulfilling jobs often top the list. Changing our lives requires dealing with all of the circumstances, and that's not easy or pretty. So the inertia of depression is a coping strategy that allows us to stay where we are rather than digging ourselves out.

Likewise fear/anxiety is similarly paralyzing. Fear causes us to freeze. Another coping strategy that allows us to skip out on dealing with the future we find so terrifying. Paradoxically, if we get started working on finding a solution to the problem causing the fear, we would find we are too busy to have time to feel the fear. Anxiety is due to uncertainty. If we work on finding solutions, we eliminate the uncertainty, and therefore the source of anxiety.

Chinese medicine can help support you in dealing with these emotions. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) recognizes 7 emotions (anger, grief, sorrow, joy/happiness, worry, fear, fright). TCM organizes disease processes into organ systems (different that the western physiological organ systems). Each of these organ systems has an emotion, taste, sound, color, body part & season associated with it.

Anger is the emotion of the Liver, it's color is green (spring, jealousy), its season is spring, its energy is upward (spring growth) it's sound is shouting. The Liver system in Chinese medicine is responsible for circulating the qi (energy) throughout the body and organs. When we get anger we tighten up, so the qi doesn't move, and we don't move forward in dealing with the situation, other than to seek retribution. In Chinese medicine we use acupuncture and herbs to move the Liver qi, to eliminate the constraint and calm the mind. In this way we support you so that you are able to move forward and deal with the situation.

Sadness can affect many organ systems: the Liver, as a continuum of anger (hurt) causing Liver Qi depression (qi stops moving due to the tightening). Sadness affects the Lungs when associated with grief, the emotion of the Lung. And the Heart, as it affects the Shen, or mind/spirit, which is housed in the Heart. Chinese medicine uses herbs to help calm the mind and tonify the depleted Heart and Liver Blood and Yin. An effective herbal formula, called Happy Tea has 3 herbs to tonify the heart and liver: licorice, dates and wheat. It's a sweet tea. These herbs are often added to other shen calming formulas for people who cry often, maybe after an emotionally traumatic experience, such as death or divorce, or for perimenopausal women. Acupuncture moves the Liver qi and also calms the mind to support you in moving out of this inertia.

Fear is the emotion of the Kidneys in Chinese medicine, associated with the color black, winter, ears, salty flavor and water (ocean). TCM uses herbs and acupuncture to build depleted Kidney qi, resulting in fear, lack of will, drive and motivation.

Acu/herbal therapy is effective in treating depression, anxiety & insomnia, giving you strength to deal with the life circumstances. KB

Duke Study Shows Acupuncture More Effective Than Drugs for Headache

2010-07-08T13:11:00.005-04:00

At last! When acupuncture first publicly arrived on the scene in the US in the 70's, the medical establishment's first concern was to be certain that the 'new' therapy was safe and wouldn't harm the public. After the millennium the safety concerns began to be put aside following a landmark NIH study in 1997 that confirmed acupuncture is safe & effective and encouraged researchers to turn to efficacy.

Most of the researchers seem reluctant to verify that acupuncture is highly efficacious, consequently the studies' highest accolades seem to be acknowledging that acupuncture can match western medicine in terms of effectiveness.

Duke University has a integrative medical department that is in the forefront of the field. It has recently released a study showing acupuncture is more effective than drugs for headaches. This is the first of its kind that i have seen. the study documented 62% relief in acupuncture patients compared to 45% effectiveness for those using drug therapy. Here's a 3min video from Duke University talking about the findings and interviewing an acupuncture migraine headache patient.

This is an article I have written discussing how acupuncture treats headaches. A few older studies are included. KB

Study Shows 2.5+ oz of Sugar/Day Doubles Risk of Hypertension over 160

2010-07-07T12:31:00.003-04:00

In the Science Times Tuesday, the NYTimes reported about a study correlating those consuming over 2 1/2 oz of sugar or corn syrup per day with a 2x risk of developing systolic blood pressure (the higher number) over 160. 120/80 is normal blood pressure. A systolic number of 140 triggers a prescription for anti-hypertension drugs in the doctors' office.

I would extrapolate that those on a high sugar diet are also overweight or clinically obese, a condition positively associated with hypertension.

Acupuncture & Chinese herbal therapy are effective in treating hypertension. This is a condition that takes some time to treat. Usually lifestyle factors, such as stress or over eating play a role in the development of the condition, and these things take time to reverse. But I have seen favorable results in weaning patients off anti-hypertensive drugs and normalizing blood pressure with acu/herbal therapy.

Acupuncture is also effective in treating sugar cravings. We have an auricular (ear) protocol (NADA: National Auricular Detoxification Association) that is effectively used for all types of additions: sugar, caffeine, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. I have found sugar cravings reduce quickly and tremendously using the ear points.

So for someone with a sugar addiction and hypertension, acupuncture is an appropriate treatment option. KB

Study Shows Acupuncture More Effective for TMJ Than Physical Therapy or Drugs

2010-07-02T15:11:00.007-04:00

The spring, 2010, issue of the Journal of Orofacial Pain included a review of studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating TMJ. The study concluded that acupuncture is more effective than physical therapy and medication in treating this disorder, and recommends more larger trials. The review also noted the absence of serious side effects in the acupuncture patients.

Here's a video showing a normal temporomandibular joint (hence TMJ)

Here's a video of a displaced TMJ that is clicking when it's opening.

This video shows a TMJ disc with a thin attatchment.

I seen pleasing results with acupuncture in treating TMJ and other facial pain. I've used both standard TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) style of acupuncture, which is most commonly taught in the colleges and being used today, and Dr. Tan's Balance Method of acupuncture. I've had satisfying results with both methods, but I see more immediate results using the Balance Method, with a more dramatic reduction in symptoms. Using the Balance Method, I expect to reduce pain on the first treatment.

For example, I recently treated a 25y woman (let's call her Michelle) with TMJ pain for 3-4 yrs. Pain was in her jaw, radiating to the temples, neck & spine, causing lockjaw and ear-ringing. Pain could be excruciating in the evenings, and was worse with stress. At the time of treatment her pain level was a 4-5 (1-10 scale) i inserted 3 needles in Michelle's wrist. Pain immediately disappeared in all areas. She no longer had ear congestion or ringing.

Acupuncture is a therapy, and a series of treatments is required. The number of treatments needed to eliminate the pain and symptoms varies, depending on the individual, and whether the condition is acute or chronic. For chronic pain a course of treatment (10-12) visits is usually required, acute pain responds faster and usually fewer treatments are needed to resolve the condition. I generally recommend weekly treatments. If pain is severe, or to see quicker results, twice a week is optimal in the beginning, for 2-3 weeks, until the pain level decreases and symptoms appear less frequently. When symptoms become intermittent, no longer on a daily basis I begin reducing the frequency to 10 days and later 2 weeks, then 3 week intervals to consolidate the treatment before discontinuing acupuncture when the condition is resolved. KB

Duke University Says Acupuncture Better than Asprin for Headaches

2010-07-01T17:46:00.007-04:00

Duke University reviewed 31 studies to access the effects of acupuncture compared to drugs for the treatment of headache. The researchers found acupuncture is more effective (62%) than medications (45%). Findings were published in Anesthesia & Analgesia.

I practice Dr. Tan's Balance Method of acupuncture. Using this method, I expect to dramatically reduce pain on the first visit. Acupuncture is a therapy and a series of treatments is required. The number of treatments needed varies, depending on the individual, and whether the condition is acute or chronic. A course of treatment is 10-12 visits, and generally that is needed to treat a sub-acute condition. Chronic conditions take longer to treat.

All types of pain, including headache respond remarkably well to acupuncture. It is a shame more people are not using Chinese medicine for relief of their symptoms.

As an herbalist, i generally include an herbal formula to enhance treatment. Especially for chronic headaches, herbs give an extra edge to increase results of treatment. I compound individualized formulas for my patients which they drink as a tea.

Here's an article i wrote explaining how Chinese medicine treats headaches. KB

Green Tea Improves Effects of Antibiotics

2010-06-23T18:12:00.011-04:00

Taking green tea with antibiotics enhances the effect of the drug, according to Matt Van Benschoten, LAc .

Be certain you have a bacterial infection when taking antibiotics. A lab test will show a bacterial process. Antibiotics are useless for viral infections, and you would be taking the drug needlessly. Antibiotics are over prescribed, resulting in super-bacterias which have become drug resistant. Many TCM practitioners (Traditional Chinese Medicine) feel one should only take antibiotics twice in their life: so chose wisely when you decide to take them.

Chinese medicine can treat many of the infections for which antibiotics are prescribed. Many Chinese herbs have known antibiotic and antiviral properties. The anti-viral herbs can prevent viral replication. Sinusitis, cold & flu patients are generally surprised at the strong effect of Chinese medicine in treating these conditions.

After a cold or flu, one may feel tired for some time, or have less energy for exercise and may feel out of breath sooner after running on a treadmill, hiking or on an exercise bike. This is due to diminished lung function. Chinese medicine rebuilds the weakened body during the post-recovery period.

The 8th leading cause of death in the US is influenza. 50,000 people die each year of the flu. The elderly, children, and those who are weakened from chronic disease are most venerable. Also those on chemotherapy, which weakens the immune system are at high risk for diseases such as flu or pneumonia.

Chinese medicine strengthens immune function and weaknesses so that the body has the reserve energy to win the fight against, rather than being over taken by disease processes. KB

Be Like the Orange Tree: Offer Your Sweet Fruit & Fragrant Blossoms to the World

2010-06-18T22:47:00.004-04:00

From Thich Nhat Hanh's "World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology":

"When we look at an orange tree we see that season after season it spends its life producing beautiful green leaves, fragrant blossoms, and sweet oranges. These are the best things an orange tree can create and offer to the world. Human beings also make offerings to the world every moment of our daily lives, in the form of our thoughts, our speech and our actions. We may want to offer the world the best kinds of thought, speech, and action that we can—because they are our continuation, whether we want it to be so or not. We can use our time wisely, generate the energies of love, compassion, and understanding, say beautiful things, inspire, forgive, and act to protect and help the Earth and each other. In this way, we can ensure a beautiful continuation."

Dr. Oz: Why He Likes Acupuncture

2010-06-17T13:03:00.006-04:00

Dr. Oz is an ardent supporter of acupuncture, and is frequently at the microphone touting the benefits of Chinese medicine and demystifying acupuncture. Here's a short piece Dr.Oz wrote for the Houston Chronicle citing studies that demonstrate acupuncture's benefits for insomnia, pain relief, and mitigating the side effects of chemo and radiation treatment for cancer patients.

Here Dr. Oz answers the question, "Does acupuncture really work?" He recommends it especially for pain and fibromyalgia. KB

Chinese Medicine Helps Cancer Patients

2010-06-14T13:52:00.007-04:00

Chemotherapy and radiation are treatments of last resort, but for those with cancer these standard western medical treatments may seem to be the only options. Because western medicine does not have a way to target only the cancer cells, both treatment kill off all cells in the attempt to kill the cancer cells. Chemo side effects include nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, due to the killing of cells in the G/I tract, hair loss (hair follicles cells affected) anemia and blood cell problems due to damage to blood cells and the immune system, and hot flashes. Radiation causes burns to the affected area and dry mouth and throat.

Chinese medicine is effective in alleviating these side affects of chemo/radiation therapies, decreases pain caused by tumors, increases immune function improves sleep and calms the mind. Chemo patients are at high risk for colds & flu which can easily lead to pneumonia due to immune system damage. In China acupuncture and herbal medicine are included as part of the chemo/radiation protocols.

there are some authoritative web resources showing benefits of Chinese medicine for cancer patients:

HuffingtonPost on Acupuncture for Cancer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Acupuncture Reduces Hot Flashes for Breast Cancer

KB

Pregnancy: Be in Peak Performance Condition

2010-06-10T12:16:00.009-04:00

A dear friend in San Diego is getting close to birthing. The baby's breech right now and she was looking for options to turn the position. I told her about a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) procedure where we do something called moxa on an acupuncture point on the pinky toe to turn the baby. It must be down by week 37 or the baby gets too large to turn. She went to an acupuncturist in her area to have the procedure done, and got a couple sticks of moxa so she could continue doing it at home.

I got to thinking how she only has a few weeks left of freedom and rest. So I advised her to take advantage of that, go out at the spur of the moment, and sleep in a lot cause she won't be able to do that for the next 10-12 years.

Today's pregnant women are thinking of themselves a bit like athletes: eating well, no alcohol or smoking. but i wonder if they are thinking about getting themselves in peak performance condition for the birthing process and being ready to go sleepless while taking care of a newborn? Pregnancy, birthing and raising a child, particularly a newborn puts much stress on the body, physically, hormonally and emotionally/spiritually. so taking care to keep body, mind & spirit in peak performance ability is especially important for mothers. Even beginning prior to conception.

Chinese medicine sees that for conception to take place:

qi (energy) & blood must be exuberant - one cannot be run down, stressed and tired
the body must be operating in harmony - no reproductive system problems or Chinese patterns of disharmony can be present
one's mind must be calm

Actually, whenever one is under stress, taking care to keep one's body, mind & spirit operating at peak level is critical because stress is so damaging to the body's processes. In order to manage the stress, the body, mind, spirit must be strong. If one is weak and rundown it further weakens the body,mind, spirit's ability to cope.

So take care of yourself. Eat well, get proper rest, exercise, incorporate stress management techniques and practices such as meditation, tai qi and yoga.

Chinese Medicine is also able to help you stay at peak performance level and to manage stress. TCM treats all 3 levels - body, mind & spirit. TCM works on keeping the body, mind, spirit in balance or harmony. When we are under stress we are in a state of disharmony. Acupuncture and herbs smooth the tension, calm the mind. It hits the reset button. This can be quite valuable during the stressful times we now find ourselves. KB

Alzheimer's: Avoid Red Meat, Rich, High-Fat Foods

2010-06-09T09:50:00.005-04:00

Eating a low fat diet with lots fresh fruits and veggies is basic for building a healthy body. A familiar '70's mantra is "You are what you eat". The body requires fresh, vitamin rich foods to build strong blood. The nutrition from blood is used to create your body's energy: Qi in Chinese medicine speak. Strong qi and blood are needed for the cells, organs and systems such as immune function, digestion, brain, lungs, cardiovascular, renal (kidney) and so on to be healthy and preform all its vital functions.

So it is not surprising that the NY Times reported in April about a recent study showing seniors with a diet rich in fresh vegetables, nuts, light meats such as fish and poultry are at lower risk for Alzheimer's disease than those eating high fat, dairy & red meats. The brain is dependent on blood: nutrient rich blood is vital for it's function.

In Chinese medicine, we see that health later in life is a result of how one has led one's life. The western 'go, go, go' lifestyle, poor diet, high stress, inadequate sleep all lead to problems later in life when the body begins to age and degrade. One may be able to get by in younger years while abusing one's body with a fast paced, stressful lifestyle, but the price will be paid later on. Therefore, we advocate moderation in all respects of diet & lifestyle.

In this blog i emphasize correct diet and quiet lifestyle and provide direction in achieving this aim. it is difficult in modern times to get off the rat wheel. motivation plays a large role. when evaluating one's life, health is paramount, yet generally taken for granted. One must cultivate the gift of health, take care of the vessel, the body that was given at birth, because without it one cannot enjoy one's life nor achieve one's goals. KB

Bodhicitta

2010-06-07T11:23:00.002-04:00

When happiness is equally dear to others and myself,
Then what is so special about me that I strive after happiness alone?
When fear and suffering are equally abhorrent to others and myself,
Then what is so special about me that I protect myself but not others?

Shantideva

UN Urges Global Move to Meat and Dairy-Free Diet

2010-06-04T09:28:00.008-04:00

I don't get asked so much any more, but there were 4 main influences in my decision in becoming a vegan:

Earthsave was putting up graphic photos of mistreated livestock in the windows of my local health food store. Got me thinking.
Diet For A Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappe which laid out the advantages of a planet based diet verses a meat based diet in terms of environmental impact and the challenges of feeding the growing world human population.
I'm a native CA who came of age there during the 70's. Vegetarian diet seemed more healthy and at the time i was making a 180 degree life change from ice cream for dinner and a smoking habit to holistic health.
Spiritually, i do not believe that it's ok to kill other living beings. I feel our first priority should be the welfare, health, peace and prosperity of all living beings.

In 1994 I switched to a vegan diet. Yesterday I received a news article that the UN is calling for a Global Move to a vegan diet, beginning with a once a week meat-free day in an effort to contain climate change and to grapple with the challenge of feeding the billions of mouths in the world. KB

Getting Through the End of the School Year Stress

2010-06-03T12:56:00.006-04:00

The SlowFamilyOnline blog on wordpress is written by a sorority sister of mine from UCLA, Suz Sachs-Lipman. Like many college friends, we live in different states and have gotten out of touch. However a few years back we have reconnected, and I have learned a lot about the woman Suz has become through her blog.

A while back, she and her family decided to get off the rat wheel and slow down. She's been chronicling the journey on her blog. A professional writer, her blog is interesting, well written and fun.

This week's post discusses ways parents can slow down during the end of the school year and enjoy the process, rather than being so stressed. I believe her suggestions will benefit her many readers, and i encourage you to take a look. KB

Red Cabbage Salad: Another Summer Fav

2010-06-02T08:56:00.006-04:00

Here's another summer favorite of mine: Red Cabbage Salad with Toasted Walnuts & Raisins. I'm posting this at the request of a dear patient of mine who seeking some variety in her diet.

When I was in acupuncture college at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego (PCOM), one of my fellow interns was a macrobiotic chef and supported herself and her son through a take out business of macrobiotic meals which she delivered to the school twice a week. these were delicious, wholesome meals cooked with love and thoughtfulness, and were greatly appreciated by the students, for whom she provided extra large servings so that we would have leftovers for lunch. How i loved these meals, but getting the recipes from Nancy was quite difficult. It wasn't that i think she was being protective, it seemed to be more that she had a lot on her plate, and they probably weren't typed up or maybe not even written down. how i would have loved to have gotten some of the recipes for the sauces, which she drizzled over portions of creamy homemade polenta (nothing like store bought) whole grains (i loved the barley: jobs tears) and other tasty treats.

I did manage to wrestle this recipe for a red cabbage salad, which i still enjoy every summer. As usual, i have made my own modifications to the original recipe. KB

Red Cabbage Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Raisins

You will need organic:
1 head purple cabbage: slice 1/2": jullianne
umeboshi or cider vinegar
1C raisins 1C Walnuts, broken into 1/4" pieces
3-4 green onions, sliced
Dijon mustard
flax or Sesame Oil (i use sesame)
fennel seeds

Put raisins in the bottom of a pots with 1/2" + of filtered water. place the cabbage in a steamer on top and steam litely, just until the color turns bright. remove from heat and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Remove the raisins and reduce the juices to a glaze.
Meanwhile, toast the walnuts and fennel in a fry pan with a little oil.
Toss all with oil. Add Dijon mustard to taste. stir in sliced green onions. save a few walnut halves and green onions for garnish on the top.

FDA Warns Drug Co's About Misleading & False Advertising

2010-05-28T09:09:00.023-04:00

Several years ago i began noticing a trend where new patients were looking to Chinese medicine to avoid side effects of drug treatments. The FDA at that time began requiring that the drug co's list drug risk and side effects in advertisements. since then, it's become apparent to the public how numerous the potential negative side effects and risks of pharmaceutical drugs are. Now almost all of my new patients cite drug side effects as a top reason for not wanting to proceed with a western medical approach to treatment and for their reason for coming to see me instead.

the drug co's don't want to list the potential risks and side effects of their drugs for obvious reasons: it tarnishes the brand. so they avoid doing so.

according to this report on NaturalNews.com the FDA has sent out warning letters to 4 drug cos about violating the rules, and engaging in false and misleading advertising. Actually, the FDA has been sending out a lot of warning letters about these issues.

when Chinese medicine first came on the scene, one of the first questions the medical establishment in this country wanted answered was "Is it safe?", and the early studies were preformed as much to ensure public safety as they were to show efficacy. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) passed the safety standard with flying colors, and i don't believe safety is even a question in people's minds anymore. i think the top questions now are "Does it hurt?" and "Is it effective? (Does it work?)"

the FAQs page of my website: AcupunctureAsheville.com answers all of the preliminary questions, and more. The resources page contains articles & studies discussing effectiveness of treatment of specific conditions on the Treatable Conditions List, and this blog has many studies about efficacy of Chinese medicine.

Black Soybean Salad - One of My Favs for Summer

2010-05-26T14:17:00.013-04:00

When you work full time, taking time to prepare a fresh lunch is a luxury. I found a home that is near to my office, so i am fortunate to be able to go home for lunch. i have quick things i can make or reheat in 10min. This being a vacation week, the pace is a bit slower than usual, so i basked in opportunity to make one of my favorite summer salads for lunch. it took about an hour to prepare & eat. a long lunch for this working professional.

Black soybeans may not sound real appetizing, but they have a surprising nutty flavor. Finding them takes a little Internet hunting, esp. if you want organic. i got this last batch from a CO based web store called Nature's Growers.

The recipe comes from Peter Berley's The Modern Vegetarian Cookbook. this is a well used book in my kitchen, every recipe i have made is phenomenal. Peter is well know among NY vegetarians. He spent many years as the head chef in one of NY's oldest and favorite vegetarian restaurants, Angelica's Kitchen.

Peter and i cook the beans in a pressure cooker, but you can use a regular pot if you like: it will take longer to cook. I've made a few adjustments of my own to the original recipe

You'll Need Organic:

Salad
2C Blk soybeans, soaked overnight
1T olive oil
1 clove garlic
handful fresh cilantro
1/2 red onion
1/4t peppercorns
1t sea salt
1 strip kombu (sea veg: find in macrobiotic section of natural food store)

1C sliced celery (2 stalks)
1C thinly sliced red onion (1/2 onion)
1C sliced carrots, peeled (the skin is bitter) (about 2 carrots)
1 sheet nori, toasted & crumbled (nori is a sea veg used for sushi)

Vinaigrette:

1/3C lime juice (about 6 limes)
1/2C oil: 1/3 olive oil, remainder sesame oil
1/4C minced cilantro
1 1/2T chili pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2T sea salt

put the beans in pressure cooker, cover with filtered water & bring to boil. Skim foam, add oil, peppercorns, cilantro, salt, garlic & onion bring to high pressure. reduce to low heat and cook 25 min. natural release. rinse & drain beans in colander, discarding spices and veg. place on a single layer on a towel in a baking sheet & allow to cool.

Put carrot in the bottom of a veg steamer, then add onion & celery. steam 3 minutes until brightly colored and crisp tender. rinse in filtered water to stop cooking, drain and set aside.

whisk vinaigrette ingredients together until creamy.

in a large bowl combine beans, veg, crumbled nori & toss with vinaigrette.

The black soybeans and nori tonify the kidney organ system in Traditional Chinese Medicine. the TCM kidney system rules growth, reproduction and the aging process. women's menopausal complaints are mostly due to kidney yin deficiency, liver qi stagnation (qi or energy not circulating well) and heart yin deficiency (causing emotional problems: insomnia, irritability, depression [also liver qi issue] and anxiety.

the western/American lifestyle: go, go, go, drink coffee, go, go, go some more (sound familiar) depletes kidney energy which is vital to life and plays a large role in immune function. the kidney rules the low back & knees and hones to the ear, so back/knee pain and poor hearing as well as graying of hair (esp. prematurely) is due to weak kidneys, in TCM. not meaning the western function of the organ: eg. nephritis; although, urinary issues, esp. after age 40 are usually due to weak TCM kidney system.

Each of the TCM organ systems have a color associated with is. Black is the color of the kidney, and salty is its flavor. that is why these inky beans and sea veg tonify the kidneys. actually all beans tonify the kidney, but black beans, adzuki beans and kidney beans (due to their shape) are strongest in this function. KB

NY Times: Throat Exercises Improve Sleep Apnea

2010-05-25T09:15:00.010-04:00

No one likes having to use a CPAP machine, the loud breathing apparatus & mask sleep apnea suffers use to ensure they breath through the night. Sleep apnea is a difficult condition to treat.

Anahad O'Conner reports in his NY Times Really? column that studies have shown 39% improvement in snoring and sleep quality as well as decreased neck circumference (+ risk factor) for sleep apnea sufferers who do throat exercises and play the didgeridoo (Australian musical instrument) that strengthen the airways. KB

A Regular Yoga Practice Will Keep You Healthy

2010-05-24T10:33:00.013-04:00

Under the heading of preventative care, yoga is something you can do at home to keep you healthy. An influential yoga instructor of mine (Lindsey Clennell, Senior Iyengar instructor, NYC) once told me 4 poses daily is all you need for a yoga practice: dog pose and 3 standing poses. A few years later I noticed he had cut it back to 3. The idea is to get the mat on the floor and get started - 3-4 poses constitutes a daily practice.

I have a rope wall in my meditation/yoga room in my home. I begin with a supported dog pose using ropes for 3-4 minutes (5 minutes is optimal for dog pose). Then i do a chair twist, followed by triangle, half moon pose and usually reverse triangle (for the twisting action). Sometimes I'll throw in Warrior I or parsvottanasana. I then do some leg stretches on the wall ropes, and 21 sit-ups (21 is a Taoist number, that's why i use it). That's enough to quickly get me stretched out and to get my joints and muscle ready to take me through the day. In evenings or weekends when i have more time, i'll add a couple of inversions: headstand, shoulder stand followed by halasana (plow pose). These poses were chosen to support back health. (I've had a number of injures).

During times when i'm tired & run down i have have a group of restorative poses i like to do, including the inversions. I have worked out these sequences after years of regular (3days/week) Iyengar yoga classes in NY & San Diego.

If you don't know the poses by name, take some classes, or get a tape. Once you have a few standing poses under your belt, you can begin a home practice.

In addition to stretching the body and building muscle tone, yoga builds the immune system and reduces stress, by inducing the relaxation response. When we are under stress, we go into what's called the flight or fight scenario. We get ready for fight or flight in response to the perceived would be attacker (this response was developed over millions of years of evolution). All non-essential systems get shut down: digestion, elimination, immune function, in order to devote all available to defense or flight: muscles, energy production, vision, hearing. Yoga & acupuncture reverses the fight or flight response by putting the body into relaxation mode. The digestive system is opening and flowing so that we get optimal nutrition extracted and stored from our food to create energy and fuel the cells and organs. Immune function is restored.

The fight or flight response explains stress related conditions, such as IBS, hypertension, acid reflux and people who get sick while over-working. Eating well, getting proper rest, exercising, including stress reduction activities such as tai qi, yoga & meditation all reduce the fight or flight response and keep the body functioning optimally.

Acupuncture too puts the body in deep relaxation mode, builds the immune system, reduces the effects the stress and calms the mind. KB

Studies Confirm Acupuncture is Effective in Treating Chronic Bowel Problems

2010-05-21T12:42:00.019-04:00

Patients come to me with a wide variety of conditions: pain, gyn issues, allergies/sinusitis, cancer, MS, Lyme disease, Parkinson's disease, Bell's Palsy, TMJ, hypertension, and so on. None of these are fun to have. Bowel problems, particularly IBS & Chrohn's can make daily living tricky. The wonderful news is all of these conditions, and more, respond well to Chinese medicine.

A 2004 German study recently came to my attention, demonstrating positive effects of acupuncture on treating Chrohn's disease. In this study acupuncture patients were compared to a control group. Both groups were needled, but in the acupuncture group known acupuncture points were used where as the control group were needled in places not thought to be acupuncture points. Patients received 10 acupuncture (or sham) treatments (considered one course of treatments in Chinese medicine) over a 3 week period, and then for followed for a subsequent 12 weeks. Three months after having received one course of acupuncture treatments, patients receiving true acupuncture retained a 35% decrease in symptoms, compared to 18% in the control (sham acupuncture) group.

A 2006 Scandinavian study of ulcerative colitis demonstrated a 50% reduction in symptoms in the true acupuncture group compared to a 25% reduction in the control group. In this study, a course of treatment (true and sham acupuncture) was administered over a 5 week period, and then followed up 4 months subsequent to the cessation of treatments.

In actual clinical practice, patients with a chronic disease, such as IBS, Chrohn's, or ulcerative colitis receive multiple courses of treatments. As symptoms improve, the frequency of treatments are reduced until the patient is able to maintain improvement with monthly, then 6 week intervals between treatments, so that the gains are consolidated before treatment is discontinued. I've seen all types of bowel problems respond well to Chinese medicine. I also prescribe customized herbal formulas which increase clinical results and allow for the consolidation of gains while acu therapy is being reduced. KB

Cholesterol: Sugar Raises It, Nuts Lower It, Chinese Medicine Treats It

2010-05-20T14:06:00.009-04:00

Most associate cholesterol with a high fat diet. Increased consumption of sugary soft drinks combined with more sedentary lifestyle (sitting in front of computers & electronic devices) have caused the rise in obesity seen since the 1970's. The NY Times reports in Vital Signs that sugar and soft drinks also account for high cholesterol.

A recent study (funded by the nut industry, but confirmed by results in other independent studies) found that eating nuts lowers cholesterol.

In the NY Times Vital Signs column, Roni Caryn Rabin reports:

“Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, and that is a main driver in lowering cholesterol,” said the lead author, Dr. Joan Sabaté, a professor of nutrition at the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University in California. “They are the richest source of protein in the plant kingdom, and they also contain fiber and phytosterols, which compete with cholesterol to be absorbed. All these nutrients have been demonstrated to lower cholesterol.”

"The more nuts they ate, the greater the effect."

Chinese medicine can support your efforts to lower cholesterol. We work to improving digestive function with acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas. Some herbs have proven effects in lowing cholesterol, such as hawthorn fruit and red yeast rice. I've seen many patients cholesterol levels improve with acupuncture and herbal therapy. I recommend an initial 3 month course of acu/herbal therapy & lifestyle/dietary modifications, followed by a lipid panel re-test. The results for of the 3 month follow up test are encouraging. When blood lipid levels return to nml i recommend working with the prescribing doctor or pharmacist to begin decreasing statin drugs. Once the drugs have been fully eliminated, we begin reducing the frequency and dosing of acu/herbs. The eventual goal being see if normal blood lipid levels can be retained without the support of acu/herbal or drug therapies, while keeping the dietary/lifestyle modifications in place.

However i will offer the caveat that it is beneficial to get on a regular acupuncture maintenance schedule, be it monthly, seasonally, or on the solstices, to keep the body in top performance level, reduce the effects of stress and maintain a strong immune function.

Here's an article from my website AcupunctureAsheville.com discussing varies dietary suggestions to lower cholesterol, the role of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, & various herbs and supplements, such as red yeasted rice and policosanol. KB

Lowering Cholesterol: Drug-free Solutions

Madonna Gets Acupuncture

2010-05-19T12:28:00.006-04:00

The Material Girl gets acupuncture after shows to keep her dancing legs going.

This NY acupuncturist & physical therapist keeps the Broadway dancers dancing .

Today Show Endorses Acupuncture

2010-05-17T11:13:00.011-04:00

Fellow PCOM (Pacific College of Oriental Medicine) alumni Dr. Daniel Hsu is interviewed on the Today Show demonstrating and explaining acupuncture, shown in a favorable light. (5min) KB

To Develop Tolerance, Patience & Loving Kindness Learn to Embrace Your Enemy

2010-05-15T21:20:00.010-04:00

Did not Jesus say, "Love Thy Enemy"? but this is one of the most difficult things to do. If one can learn to love her/his enemy, then the transformative power of love has manifested. one no longer has an enemy. one has a friend.

The Dali Lama says, "It is our enemies who provide us with the challenge we need to develop the qualities of tolerance, patience, and compassion".

Everything has mind in the lead, has mind in the forefront,
is made by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind, misery will follow,
as the wheel of a cart follows the foot of the ox.

Everything has mind in the lead, has mind in the forefront,
is made by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness will follow,
like a shadow that never leaves.

"He reviled me; he injured me; he defeated me; he deprived me."
In those who harbor such grudges, hatred never ceases.

"He reviled me; he injured me; he defeated me; he deprived me."
In those who do not harbor such grudges, hatred eventually ceases.

Hatreds do not ever cease in this world by hating,
but by not hating;
this is an eternal truth.

"The Essential Mystics - The soul's Journey into Truth", AHarvey, editor, HarperSanFrancisco. pp72-3.

Video: Deepak Chopra & Dr. Dean Ornish Discuss Preventative Care

2010-05-15T10:47:00.005-04:00

This TedMed video features an interesting 30min conversation with Dr. Dean Ornish and Deepak Chopra. Usefulness of cyberspace, facebook & twitter, lifestyle and meditation are discussed as it relates to health & preventative care. Watch it during lunch. KB

NY Times Gives Acupuncture the Thumbs Up With Caveat: You'll Need to Pay

2010-05-14T10:15:00.006-04:00

The New York Times came out in favor of acupuncture Saturday morning but warns: You'll need to pay: NY Times on Acupuncture

City of Portland Gets an Acupuncture Treatment: Public Arts Project

2010-05-13T12:30:00.006-04:00

Here's something wild and crazy: the City of Portland is getting an acupuncture treatment through a new public arts project. The project hopes using mammoth acupuncture "Needles appearing across the city will bring attention to the some of the city's most challenging problems, greatest assets, as well as places with enormous potential.

“Using the body as a metaphor for the entire city, Kuby hopes to identify those places in the landscape that are important to us as a community, drawing attention not only to the significance of each focal point but also to the interconnectedness of them to each other as well as to ourselves.”

Susan Anderson

Director, Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability

http://acuportland.org/home.html

Portland has 2 acupuncture colleges and more than 500 acupuncturists in a 3 county area. This Oregonian article has more photos and discusses the arts project. KB

NY Times: Many are Misdiagnosed with Food Allergies

2010-05-12T08:56:00.016-04:00

Many people who think they have food allergies do not, according to a front page article in this morning's Times. The true number is only 5% of adults and 8% of children, according to a new report on allergy diagnosis, commissioned by the federal government.

"Yet about 30 percent of the population believe they have food allergies. And, Dr. Riedl said, about half the patients coming to his clinic because they had been told they had a food allergy did not really have one . . . People who receive a diagnosis after one of the two tests most often used . . . [skin prick test and IgE antibodies] . . . have less than a 50 percent chance of actually having a food allergy, the investigators found", reports Gina Kolata in her NY Times piece.

Dr. Marc Riedl, an author of the new paper and an allergist and immunologist at the UCLA (my almamater) and his colleagues reviewed 12,000 pages of documents of all of the studies done on allergies between 1988 and 2009, and came up with only 72 studies that met their scientific rigor. The paper will be reported today in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).

The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases are reviewing the diagnosis and treatment of allergies and expect to have a draft of new guidelines out in June.

"But for now, Dr. Matthew J. Fenton, who oversees the guidelines project for the allergy institute said, doctors should not use either the skin-prick test or the antibody test as the sole reason for thinking their patients have a food allergy. 'By themselves they are not sufficient,' Dr. Fenton said, " reports Kolata in the Times.

Acupuncture is effective treatment for all kinds of allergies, especially those affecting the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Lung system, which includes the nose, sinuses and skin. We use a 'root and branch' approach to treatment. When symptoms are present we treat the 'branch' or the symptoms: running nose, sinusitis, hives/rash. When symptoms have abated we treat the root cause of the problem: weak/hyper-immune response. In my clinic I use a combination of acupuncture and individualized Chinese herbal formulas proven effective in treating allergies.

Allergies are a chronic problem, and require some continued care with acu-herbal therapy. When the patient and practitioner stick with treatment, results are rewarding. I find that branch symptoms are generally contained fairly quickly, but continued maintenance is required to strengthen immune function for a more sustained resolution.

Here's a couple of articles I've written & a study on allergy treatment with Chinese medicine, from the Treatable Conditions list on my website BartlettAcupuncture.com
KB

White-Coat Hypertension is 50% Predictive of Developing Sustained Hypertension

2010-05-11T08:35:00.010-04:00

In the Really? column in this week's Science Times (NY Times) Anahad O'Conner discusses white-coat hypertension, the so-called phenomenon that patients with 'normal' blood pressure (normotension) will show abnormally high readings in the doctor's office due to increased anxiety in a medical setting. The high readings have been dismissed when the patients blood pressure is normal outside of the doctor's office, or at home.

As a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) I have felt that these high readings are information about how the patients body reacts to stress and anxiety. If the blood pressure goes up in the doctors office, then it also goes up in other circumstances when the patient is under stress. I have felt this patient should be treated to address the condition.

Well apparently studies are showing that white-coat hypertension is 50% predictive of developing sustained hypertension (experienced also at home, or outside of medical settings). A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine followed 128 people for 8 years. Those with white-coat hypertension had a 47% rate of developing primary hypertension, compared to 22% of those with with normotension (normal blood pressure).

The findings were repeated in a 2009 study published in Hypertention magazine that followed 1400 people for 10 years. 43% of the white-coat hypertensives and 47% of the masked hypertensives developed into sustained hypertension.

Acupuncture is effective in lowering blood pressure, over time. In my clinic I use a combined approach of acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas. As treatment progresses and blood pressure stabilizes I recommend patients work with their doctor or pharmacist to begin safely lowering the dosage of the anti-hypertensive medications and see which can be eliminated. We work toward eliminating all anti-hypertensive medication. Once the patient has stopped the medications we begin decreasing the frequency of acupuncture treatments, while continuing the herbal formulas to control the blood pressure. Once the patient can sustain normal blood pressure for several months with monthly or even 6 week intervals between acupuncture treatments the herbal dosages are reduced, working towards eventual elimination of acupuncture and herbs.

Hypertension is a chronic condition, generally having gone on for some years prior to the patience commencing TCM treatment. Acupuncture and herbs are therapies, requiring continued treatment to achieve clinical success. Response is individual, generally speaking for chronic conditions continued care will be necessary for some time. However my goal of treatment is always to be able to carefully withdraw acupuncture and herbal therapy and maintain a state of symptom-free equilibrium. When symptoms recur, the patient quickly returns to the office and generally a short course of treatment will resolve the issue. In the case of hypertension, generally stress causes the blood pressure to rise, and often a new life stress issue will need to be addressed to return the patient to normotension. KB

Breakfast Rice

2010-05-09T09:48:00.012-04:00

I've been making this sweet baked rice for breakfast for the past year. It's easy and provides a slightly sweet carbohydrate to begin the day. Those who like hot cereal in the morning might like this. I find that generally about 2 hours later I'm ready for some protein.

Lately I've been eating local Amish eggs. I've been assured that the chickens are well treated, spend lots of time outdoors and have plenty of room to move about. So as a vegan, I'm ok with eating these eggs that are raised on small, local farms. They provide animal protein which Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) feels is a required source of nutrition for building blood.

I found this recipe in The Angelica Home Kitchen cookbook (Leslie Mc Eachern). Angelica's Kitchen is one of NY's oldest and most highly regarded vegetarian restaurant, established 1976. The food is delicious. Last time i visited i spied Adrian Grenier outside with his entourage, waiting for cabs.

This recipe will help those with digestive issues, or who aren't hungry in the morning. In Chinese dietary therapy we use congees (rice porridge) to help build the digestive systems for those with chronic illness, including cancer. Congees are easy to digest and provides some nutrition for those who find it difficult to eat. This recipe is kind of a baked congee. It's derived from the Angelica's Kitchen recipe, but I've made changes.

3 1/2C filtered water (soaked white rice: 4 1/2C for brown basmati or unsoaked rice)
1 1/2C rice milk
1/4t sea salt
1 vanilla bean (French Broad Food Co-op in Asheville has organic vanilla beans)
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/3C white basmati rice, rinsed & soaked 24h (brown rice takes longer to cook)
3/4 C raisins
1/4C Gou Ji berries (gou qi zi: tonify blood, Liver & Kidney qi & eyes)
freshly grated nutmeg

I use all organic ingredients. Soak the rice 24h in advance. It makes it easier to digest and requires less water and cooking time. You can use the soaking water as part of the liquid in the recipe. Those with loose stools should use white rice, not brown.

Preheat oven to 325. Bring water, rice milk & salt to a boil in a covered pot. While the water is coming to a boil, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and then cut in half crosswise. Using the tip of a small knife, scape out the seeds and add the seeds and pod to the cooking liquid with the cinnamon stick and dried fruit. (i've tried subing vanilla extract. You need the whole bean for the flavor in this unseasoned dish.) When the liquid comes to a boil, add the rice and reduce to a simmer.

Grease a casserole with coconut oil (its got the healthy types of fats we need: much better than Crisco. i always sub coconut oil for the oil in recipes for baked goods.) Pour the rice/liquid into the casserole and top with grated nutmeg. Bake in convection ovens for 35min (or less: until liquid has absorbed). Conventional ovens and brown or unsoaked rice will require longer cooking times).

Remove from oven, discard cinnamon stick and vanilla bean (they are usually on the top) and allow to cool a bit before serving. I like to float it in a bowl with rice milk.

Store it in the refridge. For one person, this will provide breakfast for about a week. If you want to serve it for dessert, you could add 1/3C maple syrup. KB

Alocohol Worsens Allergies

2010-05-08T18:53:00.006-04:00

I love the Really? column in the Science Times section of the NY Times. In April Anahad O'Connor reported that studies are showing that alcohol worsens allergy symptoms due to the histamines and sulfites they contain. Wine is the worse offender, and women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

2005 Swedish Study

A 2008 Danish study showed that drinking 2 glasses of wine daily doubles risk of symptoms, even for those who are otherwise unaffected.

Other foods that release histamines included cheese, pickled/fermented foods & yeasty foods: breads, cider and grapes. Maybe the grapes are causing the issue with the wine.

Chinese medicine is quite effective at treating allergies. In my clinic, I generally do a combination of individualized herbal formulas and acupuncture. During the allergy season we treat the branch, or the symptoms: runny nose, sneezing, sinus congestion, itchy eyes. Between the flare-ups we concentrate on the root problem: strengthening the immune system. Symptoms begin responding quickly; however, ongoing treatment is required to fully resolve the condition. For seasonal allergies, several seasons of back and forth between root and branch is needed. More frequent treatments during the season for treating branch symptoms, then backing off to a maintenance interval between season while addressing the root. Continuing herbal therapy makes reducing the frequency of acupuncture treatments possible.

Here's some articles I've written explaining allergy treatment with Chinese Medicine from my website BartlettAcupuncture.com .

For Safety and Maximum Effectiveness See a Licensed Acupuncturist

2010-05-08T09:14:00.020-04:00

In order to be preformed safely an effectively, acupuncture must be preformed by a qualified practitioner with adequate training in Chinese medicine. Unfortunately MD's and chiropractors have been allowed to add acupuncture as a modality in their practices after taking only a few weekend seminars in it, totally 100-300 hours. Considering that Licensed Acupuncturist now must complete 3000-4000 hours of training in order to become licensed, it is inconceivable that states would consider 100-300 adequate training for practicing on patients. Those that are poorly trained make mistakes ranging from ineffective treatment to injuries to patients.

A study by the Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromso, Norway about acupuncture safety concludes:

"Most adverse effects of acupuncture seem to rely on insufficient basic medical knowledge, low hygienic standard, and inadequate acupuncture education. The study confirms the adverse effects of acupuncture under certain circumstances. Serious adverse effects, however, are few, and acupuncture can generally be considered as a safe treatment."

PMID: 9395661 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Here's an document from the FAQs page of my website discussing the difference in training of acupuncturists and MD's & Chiropractor's with the 100-300 hour medical acupuncture certificate:

Licensed vs Certified Acupuncturists

The Medical Acupuncture Facts website discusses the issue of MD's and chiropractors with 100-300 hours training preforming acupuncture, and the associated problems. Here's an article from the site discussing this issue. KB

Studies Confirm Acupuncture is Unsafe When Practiced By Non-Licensed Acupuncturists

Drink Lemon Water @ Room Temperature

2010-05-05T11:50:00.009-04:00

The average American drinks iced beverages throughout year, especially during warm weather. In Chinese medicine we disagree with this practice, and advice our patients to drink room temperature or warm beverages.

Why? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sees digestion as a warm process: it takes heat to break down the food in the stomach and intestines and extract the nutrients we need. Putting cold foods and beverages into the stomach weakens digestive function (Spleen Qi, in TCM speak). When digestive function (Spleen Qi) is weak, nutrients do not get extracted in order for the body to make strong Qi (energy) and Blood (nutrition for the cells, organs, muscles, skin and tissues). Fluids are not transformed well, setting up the processes for inflammation, edema, phlegm (allergies and sinusitis) and damp/oozing/blistering skin conditions (acne, hives and rashes).

TCM is preventative care oriented. By engaging in a healthy lifestyle we can prevent disease processes from occurring, and minimize their consequences when they do. Diet, exercise and reducing stress, not over-working and getting proper rest/sleep are the main components of lifestyle considerations for westerners.

When the weather gets warm (or any time of year) start drinking room temperature water with lemon for a little flavor. I recommend filtered water. In his book, Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Dr. Elson Haas gets into the detail of filtered water. Carbon filtration and reverse osmosis are important. Use only glass containers for storing water as the polyurethane will leak into the water: especially if there are any scratches in the container. The same goes for food storage: use glass or stainless steel containers, no aluminum: it leaches. Especially throw away any plastic containers that are stained or are scratch: they are leaching. When drinking lemon water, don't use a plastic cup as the acid in the lemon will cause the polyurethane to leach.

At first drinking room temperature beverages takes some acclimating. remember that of all the countries in the world, we are the only ones who regularly drink iced beverages. if you encounter iced beverages when you travel, the establishments are catering to American tastes. within a month or two you will become accustomed to room temperature beverages. after a while you'll find cold or iced beverages are too cold. at restaurants, tell the server to bring the drink without ice and to add a slice of lemon to the water. if you get an iced drink, send it back, or just take the ice out with a spoon and put it in an empty dish. i've been doing this for years: it's no big deal.

and while your making such an effort to drink healthy, avoid caffeinated drinks including coffee, sodas and tea (and yes, the decaffeinated beverages are a misnomer: they still have caffeine). Avoid drinks with chemicals such as soft drinks, sports drinks and so on. A reliable rule of thumb is if you don't understand a word in the ingredient list, don't put it in your body.

the same holds true for foods (chemicals are not food) and anything you apply on your body surface, such as shampoo, lotion, cosmetics and shaving cream. remember the skin is the largest organ of your body. Chinese medicine includes the skin as part of the Lung system. chemicals get absorbed from the skin directly into the blood stream through the capillaries and micro vessels that circulate in the skin. Many people get rashes due to chemical irritants and exposure because the immune system (also included in the TCM Lung system) is not able to mount an effective response against them.

so drink clear, pure water. a little lemon adds flavor, and is cleansing. Many fasters do a 30 day master cleanse elimination diet for detoxification. Foods are gradually eliminated, beginning with drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sodas, then meats, carbs, fruits and veg until 3 days of juice fasting remains. During this time, a beverage of lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper is sipped throughout the day. Lemon for cleansing, syrup for energy, and cayenne for warming and moving the blood. foods are then gradually added back in, in reverse order, beginning with fruits and vegetable. each new food is added one at a time, several hours apart, checking for any negative reactions in the body that would suggest a food sensitivity or allergy.

Many people like to begin their day with lemon water prior to breakfast: rise, drink a glass of lemon water, followed by meditation, yoga, qi gong, tai qi or other light exercise, then breakfast. this is a gentle way to begin the day and make the transition from sleep/dreams to waking/life. KB

And by the way: fasting should only be done by those with a strong constitution. Those who are weak, ill, infirm or hypoglycemic should not engage in fasting as the body cannot afford to go without regular nutrition throughout the day. Check with a health care practitioner prior to beginning a fast to be sure it is safe for you. TCM does not recommend fasting as we feel the Spleen needs regular meals and that fasting puts too much strain on the body. However, I can see the benefit of an elimination fast for those seeking to identify food sensitivities, if the patient has a strong and robust constitution.

Don't Let Worldly Matters Upset You: Some Meditation Tips

2010-05-03T20:09:00.010-04:00

"That's a worldly matter: don't let it upset you". I've been trying to focus on this statement lately when something comes along that is disturbing or causes some fear or fret. "Remember your calm place" my inner voice intones.

The calm place is that place that i go to during meditation. It has taken me years of meditation practice to consistently find it. I notice that when i'm meditating daily i can remember it easily, but if i start skipping days and am inconsistent then i spend most of my time trying to calm the discursive thoughts.

beginners find this discursiveness frustrating and often give up. experienced meditators recognize it as an aspect of mind, and work through it.

i let my state of mind be a signal to me of my stress level: if i can't easily calm my thoughts, then i know i must work at reducing the stress in my life which is preventing me from being calm.

when i sit in meditation i begin with some yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) followed by chanting. this helps to quiet the mind. i chant om mani padme hum . any repetitive world or phase from any spiritual tradition will be helpful. choose a phrase that is meaningful to you. Om is a universal spiritual sound, pronounced "Aum" or ah-o-mmm. it is the root for the word amen .

Wikipedia on Om

before the breathing and the chanting, i like to state my purpose for meditating: why am i sitting today and what do i wish to accomplish from this meditation session. when my mind begins to wander i call it back, and try to remember my purpose in sitting.

when the thoughts get especially discursive and i cannot stay quiet, i visualize an image that's meaningful and inspiring to me. a deity, prophet or saint from any spiritual tradition will be helpful for this purpose. Whatever is inspirational to you and can help you to keep your focus.

when i'm meditating daily i can usually go fairly quickly to that place of calm abiding. in the body, i find it in my chest, behind my sternum (breast bone). it's connected to the heart energy. if i don't immediately find it, i can sometimes get there by focusing on the third eye (the spiritual center, between the eyebrows) and the heart energy simultaneously (i literally go to to the area of my physical heart behind the ribs in my chest). when i have those 2 centers in focus, i stay with it for a bit. then i go the well of my true being. not the one that flitters about, one minute happy, making plans, later angry or sad, but the wise, knowing 'old soul' as some may call it. i find this place physically behind the sternum. i remind myself to remember where this place is so i can easily find it again. when i waver, i call myself back to this dwelling place.

when i find myself fretting, worrying, sad or angry, i remind my self that the problem is a worldly matter and to find the place of calm abiding in which to dwell. KB

Fox News Interviews Kath Bartlett, MS, LAc About Allergy Treatment

2010-05-02T08:31:00.008-04:00

"Do you ever google yourself?" I was asked last week. "It's been a long time", I replied. "Mostly professional stuff comes up: my website, blog, articles I've written and so on".

With this conversation in mind, i put my name in the search box, and hit enter. The expected hits came up. As I scrolled through them I came across an interview I did with Fox News several years ago for an article on allergy treatment using Chinese Medicine. I believe the article was (at least in part) ghostwritten. Manny Alvarez was given the byline, but it was a woman who interviewed me that spring morning.

This is a thoughtfully written article first explaining some basics about TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theory and terminology, then going into the the interview with me about allergy treatment using Chinese Medicine, followed by a 2004 study on TCM treatment of allergies published in Allergy Magazine. KB

Fox News Allergy Interview with Kath Bartlett, LAc

Want to Lose Weight? Get More Sleep

2010-04-29T15:28:00.013-04:00

Want to lose weight? Include getting enough sleep into your diet and exercise plan say the studies. Too many of us don't get enough sleep, instead relying on (cups?, pots of?) coffee to get through the day. Lack of sleep causes lots of health problems: lower immunity (get sick easier), reduced ability to handle stress, decreased cognitive function, increased irritability - basically the body is too tired to function optimally. As Elizabeth Gilbert analogizes in Eat, Pray, Love (#22, p66) overworked soil needs a fallow season. Likewise the overworked body (which all of us stressed out Westerners have) needs rest. If we don't get it, we eat more (esp. carbs and sugar) to get the energy our bodies need, and hence gain weight. Studies cited in this week's NY Times, Science Times article show men eat up to 500 additional calories on 4-5hrs sleep than they do with 7-8 hours sleep.

Here's a PubMed abstract of an analysis of a number of studies on the issue which suggests that 7 hours of sleep seems to be the golden mean. Less than 7 hours and weight gain appears, more than 7 hours sleep shows no significant weight change (positive or negative) compared to the 7 hour sleep duration:

PubMed Study

Another study showed increased snacking of carbs with 5 1/2 hours sleep verses getting 8 hours:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19056602

Is it no wonder in our stressed out, sleep deprived, fast food society that we have an obesity epidemic? The solution is obvious and basic: reduce stress, stay well rested, eat well. Why does that seem like a radical concept for the average American to implement? KB

New York Times Article

Duke University Uses Acupuncture Anesthesia During Surgery

2010-04-22T12:49:00.013-04:00

NBC video ran an interesting report about Duke University's use of acupuncture anesthesia during surgery. Duke has a large, respected integrative medicine department, and I'm always pleased to learn what comes out of it.

Acupuncture anesthesia has been used in China for many years. Needles are put in the ear and at various points on the body. In his 1980's 4 part PBS special "Healing in the Mind", Bill Moyer devoted one segment to China, showing an open heart surgery using acupuncture for part of the anesthesia. Typically 30-50% less anesthesia is used. In the video, the patient is lucid and incredibly able to talk and answer basic questions (name, where are you, what is happening) during surgery. A screen was up below his head so that he wasn't able to view his open chest cavity during the procedure. It is a truly amazing experience to watch, and was a pivotal moment in opening my mind to the possibilities of Chinese medicine. The Bill Moyer PBS video is likely available in the public libraries.

I use acupuncture anesthesia for myself during dental procedures. Last year I had a series of 5-7 superficial fillings drilled using only acupuncture anesthesia. I've done this many times over the past 8 years. For deeper fillings, particularly in the lower jaw some pharmaceuticals have been used, typically 25% of the usual dose. I feel even less is required. I have felt no pain whatsoever during these procedures.

In the 1972 the acupuncture anesthesia protocol was adapted for use for substance detoxification by Hong Kong neurosurgeon Dr. HL Wen. Dr. Wen did the surgical anesthesia protocol on a patient who (unbeknownst to him) was a morphine addict. On follow-up to the surgery, the patient reported that his morphine addiction had been cured. Curious and excited, Dr. Wen researched and developed the NADA protocol for substance abuse. Currently this NADA (National Auricular Detoxification Association) protocol is widely use in a large variety of clinical settings for all kinds of addictions, including smoking, drugs, alcohol, sugar & caffeine. I've been pleased with results I've seen in my clinic. KB

Wall Street Journal Gives Acupuncture the Green Light

2010-03-24T10:45:00.007-04:00

This week's Wall Street Journal features a much awaited article praising acupuncture and hypothesizing how it might work from a western scientific point of view.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704841304575137872667749264.html

It also includes a couple of 2 minute videos showing an acupuncture treatment:

http://online.wsj.com/video/testing-acupuncture/C66816BC-2110-402B-B254-61668040B9D0.html

And another discussing acupuncture, what it does and how it might work:

http://online.wsj.com/video/news-hub-unraveling-acupuncture/9505EDF3-A422-42F0-94A5-B930E3999267.html

This is a favorable article about acupuncture, discussing it's value and a few of it's uses. For a larger list of many of the conditions acupuncture effectively treats, please visit the Resources of my website www.AcupunctureAsheville.com

KB

Beat the Winter Blues

2010-03-23T16:50:00.019-04:00

This has been quite a winter in Asheville. I've been hearing many complaints about all the snow, cold and cloudy weather, and about how everyone is ready for spring. It's almost here. Personally, I've enjoyed this winter, and all the snow and cold. I've used this as a time to stay indoors, and enjoy yin activities, such as taking long Epsom salt baths (so soothing on aching muscles, backs and joints), reading and meditation. Often I combine all 3: reading and meditating in the bath tub: delicious. And when I say a long bath, I mean several hours. I fall asleep and wake up because the tub's cold.

Another precaution I've taken to guard against the winter blues is to change out all my light bulbs in my home and office to full spectrum bulbs. Regular incandescent bulbs give off a yellow hew, compact florescents strobe and all florescents give off an unnatural light that is hard on the eyes. Full spectrum bulbs more closely mimic daylight. I prefer the Chromolux brand, partly because there are long lasting. I've had my Chromolux bulbs for many years. I feel that they are a higher quality bulb than say GE or Phillips, which is decidedly less expensive. However the lower cost brands are more readily available at Home Depot, Target and Lowes, and provide a inexpensive way to give the bulbs a try. Also available are full spectrum florescent tubes, often referred to as daylight or sunlight florescents. I recommend changing out the overhead florescent lights in the office with the daylight florescents. They are easier on the eyes, and provide a light source closer to natural sunlight, especially important during the winter months when the days are short and less time is spent outdoors.

The other lifestyle change I've made to help aid winter survival is to take afternoon walks for about 30 minutes. I've found the high point of the sun is between 12-3p, so I take an outdoor walk at that time to maximize sunlight exposure. In later February and March, the strongest sunlight time extends to 4p. Even if it is a gray day, I still go out during this time for natural sunlight.

The walks and the full spectrum bulbs helps prevent SAD, or sunlight affective disorder, which affects many people during the winter. SAD is depression occurring due to lack of exposure to the sun. High percentage of sufferers live in northern climates, where the days are particularly short.

Another issue becoming a public health priority is lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin from sunlight. Recently there has been an increased incident of rickets in children in this country, a disease due lack of Vitamin D. Doctors have recently begun routinely testing for vitamin D, as deficiencies are becoming common place.

There are few dietary sources of Vitamin D, other than fortified foods, such as milk. Egg yolks, butter and fish liver oils (oily fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring) are the main dietary sources. 15-30 minutes a day of sunlight exposure without sunscreen on the arms and legs several days a week will allow the body to synthesize adequate amounts of vitamin D.

Due to a recent change in lifestyle, where adults and children spend more time indoors on computers, and due to the effort by the dermatologists in the past 20-30 to restrict sunlight exposure and wear sunscreen, people are no longer getting adequate sun exposure to synthesize required amounts of vitamin D.

In Sunday's NY Times Magazine (3/21/10), Deborah Solomon (a favorite columnist of mine) interviewed Dr. Michael Holick, author of a recently published book "The Vitamin D Solution" which discusses this issue of sunscreen, sun avoidance and vitamin D deficiency.

Spring is springing. Within a few short weeks those winter blues will be behind us. When the weather is below 50 degrees it is unrealistic to be out with the arms and legs exposed, but now that spring is upon us, try to get out and enjoy the sunlight. KB

Acupuncture Reduces Treatment Side-Effects in Breast Cancer Patients

2010-01-19T11:06:00.011-05:00

Here's another study showing the benefits of acupuncture in supporting breast cancer patients in comparison to those on drug therapy. This abstract doesn't state it, but by the symptoms followed, I'm extrapolating that these were chemo patients due to the prevalence of hot flashes which chemotherapy causes.

The study found that the acupuncture and drug group had similar results in reduction of symptoms (mainly hot flashes and depression are noted here) during treatment. But the post treatment follow-up is where it gets interesting. The drug patients symptoms returned within two weeks from when they stopped taking the drug. But the acupuncture patients stayed symptom free longer. The abstract mentions that it was 3 months later until re-emergence of symptoms were seen in the acupuncture group. Based on my clinical experience, I'm hypothesizing that had these women continued treatments at a maintenance frequency, symptoms may not have reappeared. When symptoms did re-emerge, I would put forth that only a short 'booster' course of treatments would have been needed to address them.

The acupuncture group also experienced other beneficial results of treatment not seen in the drug group, such a increased energy and libido, mental clarity (chemo patients often experience 'brain fog') and a greater sense of well-being during treatment for this life threatening disease. KB

Acupuncture Improves Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Patients

Posted on 2010-01-06 06:00:00 in Alternative Medicine | Cancer |

Eleanor M. Walker, from Henry Ford Hospital (Michigan, USA), and colleagues studied 50 breast cancer patients, randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or drug (venlafaxine) treatment for 12 weeks. The acupuncture group received treatments twice per week for the first four weeks, and then once a week for the remaining eight weeks, while the drug therapy group took venlafaxine orally each night, 37.5mg the first week and then 75mg for the remaining 11 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, all patients stopped their therapy and were followed for one year. Patients kept a diary to record the number and severity of hot flashes, and took surveys to measure their overall health and mental health. While both groups initially experienced a 50% decline in hot flashes and depressive symptoms, differences began to emerge two weeks post-treatment: The acupuncture group continued to experience minimal hot flashes, while the drug therapy group had a significant increase in hot flashes. The acupuncture group did not experience an increase in the frequency of their hot flashes until three months post-treatment. Noting in addition that ”the acupuncture group experienced no negative adverse effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increased sex drive in some women, and most reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being,” the researchers conclude that: “Acupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term antiestrogen hormone use in patients with breast cancer.”

Eleanor M. Walker, Alba I. Rodriguez, Beth Kohn, Ronald M. Ball, Jan Pegg, Jeffrey R. Pocock, Ramon Nunez, Ed Peterson, Susan Jakary, and Robert A. Levine. “Acupuncture Versus Venlafaxine for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms in Patients With Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” J Clinical Oncology published online December 28, 2009, DOI:10.1200/JCO.2009.23.5150.

Study Shows Yoga Practice Reduces Inflamation Associated with Age Related Diseases

2010-01-19T10:34:00.013-05:00

Those who have been following by blog know that I am a yogini: a female yogi, or yoga practitioner. As such, this study demonstrating the benefits of yoga in reducing inflammation, stress and aging caught my eye. I thought others would find it interesting, too. This study looked at yoga, but i believe similar results and benefits would be found with tai qi and qi gong (literally 'qi work' or energy work/cultivation: yoga is a qi gong exercise).

I recently ran across some old "Yoga Journal" articles showing the benefits of restorative yoga for chronic illness, AIDS and auto immune disorders. Restorative yoga are relaxation poses requiring little to no muscle work, so that one lies in the pose for an extended period of time (5-10min. The idea is to put the body in a deep state of relaxation in order to rest and strengthen the immune system which is debilitated in chronic illness. In "Quantum Healing" Deepak Chopra discusses Ayurveda medicine (ancient Indian medicine developed by the vedics (sage doctors of the Hindu and yoga traditions: includes herbal, dietary and hot oil massage treatments). One the cardinal aims of Ayurveda treatment is to induce a deep state of relaxation so that the weak immune system can gather strength and activate itself. In the book he cites examples of cancer patients from his clinical practice who have achieved what traditional doctors call 'spontaneous' remissions (meaning medically unexplained) by using these practices to induce the healing response.

I highly recommend the book Relax and Renew about restorative yoga poses and sequences that anyone can do, regardless of physical condition or yoga experience (also included on the recommended reading list on this blog). For experienced yogis i would add Shoulder Stand (10-20min), Headstand 5-10min) and Halasana (5min). KB

How Chinese Medicine Treats Autoimmune Disorders

2010-01-13T12:20:00.012-05:00

Here's an interesting paper written by a CA practitioner about how Chinese Medicine addresses autoimmune disorders, particularly chemical sensitivities. KB

Autoimmune Disorders, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
and Chinese Medicine
by Matt Van Benschoten, O.M.D., L.Ac.

https://elotus.org/lotus_2010/downloads/articles/2010/article_02_0107_Matt_Final.html

____________________________________________________________________
About the Author

Dr. Van Benschoten is a graduate of the California Acupuncture College of Los Angeles, with 28 years of clinical, research, and teaching experience in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and medical Qi Gong. He is the author of more than fifty papers on acupoint diagnostic methods, chronic fatigue syndrome, AIDS, autoimmune disease, breast cancer, mercury toxicity, and indoor mold exposure. His clinical practice focuses on multi-drug resistant infections, immune dysfunction, and environmental illness.

Dietary Basics: Do's and Don'ts

2010-01-02T16:53:00.007-05:00

This is the one year anniversary of my blog. I began this blog at New Year's last year with a popular post about yoga practices and lifestyle suggestions for health and longevity (see January '09 archives). The response encouraged me to continue blogging, and i discovered that i enjoyed it: averaging 4-6 posts/month. Readership has increased throughout the year and I've attracted a few comments and followers. I'm pleased to learn that there is an audience interested in my point of view.

Like most of the world, I've been in slow gear this past week+, working a reduced clinic schedule. I've been using the leisure time to rest and watch old movies, a yin activity for winter solstice.

Today I've picked up a book that's been on my shelf for maybe 15y that i use for reference and read occasionally "Staying Healthy With Nutrition" by Elson Haas, MD. It's a comprehensive book about diet and nutrition that i highly recommend. I'm sure an updated edition must be out, but the info presented still feels current, though esp. dosage info on nutritional supplements has probably changed.

I ran across a list of eating suggestions for those dining out. I realize this is not particularly timely, as most of the holiday season travel is completed, and excepting the occasional sunny getaway, most travel and dining out won't start up again until spring. Esp. with winter bills, taxes and the recession cutting back on discretionary spending items, restaurant usage will be severely curtained in the next few months. Still, the ideas are sound, and worth mentioning, so tuck it away for future use. I've added a couple of my own suggestions to the list.

Breakfast

yes

Fresh fruit juice
(add water to cut the high
sugar content)
fruit & yogurt
oatmeal, granola
whole grains
soft or hard boiled eggs

no
sugar products & baked goods
bacon, sausage
fried or scrambled eggs or omelette's (due to the fat)

Lunch

Yes
fish
pasta
salad
fruit

No
Hamburgers, hot dogs
fried foods
lunch meat sandwiches (too processed)

Dinner

Yes
whole grains
pasta
veggies
fish, poultry

No
steak, ham & pork chops (too heavy)
Heavy sauces
alcohol
rich desserts

Snacks

Yes
mineral water
fresh fruit
veggies
almonds

No
soft drinks
candy bars, cookies, chips
coffee

In looking over the list, maybe it is a little more timely than I realized. After all the overindulgence of the past month, most are ready to improve their diets and adopt more healthy habits for the new year. These dietary recommendations are sound basic dietary principles not restricted to restaurant do's and don'ts.

In general, avoid processed foods (including anything coming out of a box or can) and include more whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies. Buying foods from the bulk department of the natural food store (not Costco) saves on excess packaging (for the environment) and ensures whole foods (not processed) are being selected.

Something else to remember, esp. in the winter months, is vit D synthesis. Vit D is synthesized in the skin from direct sunlight. However in the winter months, due to the shorter days and cold weather most do not get much direct sunlight. Make it a habit to take an afternoon walk between 12 & 3p, when the sun is the brightest, shining directly overhead. A brisk walk for 30min will benefit the cardiovascular system, work the muscles, burn much needed calories during this particularly sedentary time of year, and get you out for some much needed fresh air and sunshine. KB

Vinegar & Acids Help Lower Blood Sugar

2009-11-24T10:23:00.037-05:00

The "Really?" column in today's Science Times (NY Times) reports on studies showing that including vinegar in a meal will help lower blood sugar. One Italian studies showed including vinegar as salad dressing with a meal that includes bread and other carbs will reduce blood sugar by 30%. The results were verified in another study by the American Diabetes Association. You can check the results yourself by eating 2 identical carb meals. With one, add 2 teaspoons vinegar with the other do not use vinegar. Check your blood sugar after each meal, and see if there's a drop in the meal eaten with vinegar.

The author's of the ADA study concluded that:

The data indicates that vinegar can significantly improve postprandial insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects. Acetic acid has been shown to suppress disaccharidase activity (3) and to raise glucose-6-phosphate concentrations in skeletal muscle (4); thus, vinegar may possess physiological effects similar to acarbose or metformin. Further investigations to examine the efficacy of vinegar as an antidiabetic therapy are warranted.

These findings help explain why Dr. Richard Tan's recommendation of drinking lime water throughout the day lowers blood sugar for diabetics.

To do this, juice a lime and pour the juice in a bottle of water and sip throughout the day. Apparently the 'white part' is important, so keep the pulp. Dr. Tan says that within 3 months blood sugar levels will drop. I have a current patient who is using key limes and after 3 weeks has been noticing lower blood sugar levels.

Reporter Anahad O'Connor astutely points out in the aforementioned Really? column that amongst other perils of the Holiday Madness season, are the difficulties diabetics face navigating social gatherings and work place break rooms during the last 6 weeks of the year.

Here are a few abstracts of other studies relating to vinegar and blood sugar levels by the authors of the cited study. KB

J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Dec;105(12):1939-42.

Vinegar and peanut products as complementary foods to reduce postprandial glycemia.

Johnston CS, Buller AJ.

Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University, Mesa 85212, USA. carol.Johnston@asu.edu

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2009 May;84(2):e15-7. Epub 2009 Mar 9.

Preliminary evidence that regular vinegar ingestion favorably influences hemoglobin A1c values in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Johnston CS, White AM, Kent SM.

Studies Show Meditation Reduces Heart Attacks, Strokes & Hypertension

2009-11-22T08:14:00.020-05:00

Two recent studies have demonstrated that meditation reduces heart attacks, strokes and hypertension. Many past studies have shown health benefits of meditation, including decreased depression, anxiety and improved sleep and ability to handle stress. These two studied the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique. I have posted the NY Times report about the studies and abstracts of them below.

Here's a little bit about TM from Wikipedia:

The Transcendental Meditation technique, or TM technique is a form of mantra meditation introduced in India in 1955^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917-2008).^[5] It is reported to be the most widely researched and one of the most widely practiced meditation techniques in the world today.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] Taught in a standardized seven-step course by certified teachers, the technique involves the use of a sound or mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day, while sitting comfortably with closed eyes.^[10]

In 1957, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi began a series of world tours during which he introduced and taught his meditation technique.^[11] In 1959, he founded the International Meditation Society and, in 1961, he began to train teachers of the Transcendental Meditation technique.^[11]^[12] From the late 1960s through the mid 1970s, both the Maharishi and the TM technique received significant public attention in the USA, especially among the student population.^[13]^[14] During this period, a million people learned the technique, including well-known public figures. . . .

Beginning in 1968, a number of celebrities such as Donovan, The Beatles, members of the The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Doug Henning, Clint Eastwood, Deepak Chopra, Andy Kaufman, Jane Fonda, Mia Farrow, Shirley MacLaine, Joe Namath, Stevie Wonder, and Howard Stern . . .

The Beatles, of course, were the most famous of these. They stayed at the Maharishi's ashram in India for more than 8 months from August of 1967 to April of 1968. A well known riff developed btwn them, causing the Beatles to leave. The time spent with the Maharishi was a prolific one for the Beatles. The Maharishi helped them to get off LSD: Lennon had a heavy user. While they were with him, and after they returned to England the Beatles wrote and recorded the 30 songs on the double "White Album".

The hallmark of the TM technique is it's reliance on an mantra or sacred sound. From Wiki:

During the initial personal instruction session, the student is given a specific sound or mantra. The sound is utilized as a thought in the meditation process,^[23] allowing the individual’s attention to be directed naturally from an active style of functioning to a less active or quieter style of mental activity.^[23]

An important distinction between the Transcendental Meditation technique and other practices that involve mantras is in the way the mantra, or sound, is used. In Transcendental Meditation the mantra is not chanted—either verbally or mentally, but is instead a vehicle on which the attention rests.^[24]^[19]

According to Russell, the sounds used in the Transcendental Meditation technique are taken from the ancient Vedic tradition.^[24] Maharishi Mahesh Yogi explains that the selection of a proper thought or mantra "becomes increasingly important when we consider that the power of thought increases when the thought is appreciated in its infant stages of development".^[25] William Jefferson in The Story of the Maharishi, explains the importance of the "euphonics" of mantras. Jefferson says that the secrets of the mantras and their subsequent standardization for today's teachers of the technique were unraveled by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi after his years of study with his own teacher, Guru Dev (Brahmananda Saraswati) so that selection is foolproof, and that the number of mantras from the Vedic tradition, which could number in the hundreds, have been brought by Maharishi to a minimum number. . .

In 1975, Time Magazine reported that each TM meditator is instructed to keep their mantra private. Each TM teacher assigns each student's mantra based on a formula that is presumed to include temperament and profession. The article says that there are 17 mantras.^[13] In his 1997 book, The Sociology of Religious Movements William Sims Bainbridge wrote that the mantras given for Transcendental Meditation are "supposedly selected to match the nervous system of the individual but actually taken from a list of 16 Sanskrit words on the basis of the person's age".^[28]

The 1995 expanded addition of Conway and Siegelman's Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change describes a teacher of Transcendental Meditation who says: "I was lying about the mantras — they were not meaningless sounds they were actually the names of Hindu demigods - and about how many different ones there were — we had sixteen to give out to our students".^[30] In the 1977 court case Malnak vs. Yogi (see below), an undisputed fact in the case was that the mantras are meaningless sounds.^[31]

In a speech the Maharishi gave in Kerala, India, in 1955, he mentions a connection between the mantras and personal deities and occasionally similar references can also be found in his later works.^[32]^[33] More commonly, the Maharishi describes the mantras as working automatically.^[33]

Jonathan Shear in his book The Experience of Meditation: Experts Introduce the Major Traditions, characterizes the mantras used in the TM technique as independent of meaning associated with any language, and are used for their mental, sound value alone.^[18] A 2009 article published in the International Journal of Psychophysiolgy says that "unlike most mantra meditations, any possible meaning of the mantra is not part of Transcendental Meditation practice".^[17]

In his book Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction, author Stephen Hunt says that the mantra used in the Transcendental Meditation technique has no meaning but that the sound itself is sacred.

I don't believe that you must do the TM technique to gain health benefits from meditation. In fact, a current patient has a 15y history of hypertension. After 4-6 weeks of guided meditation she saw her blood pressure return to normal during a period of high stress.

The important thing is to begin a regular practice. In the beginning, the discipline of sitting regularly and listening to the mind chatter is difficult. But if you stick with it, you'll find in time the mind will calm. This can take years, but you will reap the rewards of your continued effort.

Commonly breath meditation is done, where one focuses on the in and out breath as a mechanism to calm the mind. Especially worriers and those experiencing much stress and anxiety have particular difficulty with this because the mind chatter and dramas continue to play. For those people I recommend beginning with a guided meditation recording, or even just beginning by listening to quiet, relaxing music and concentrating on the notes and sounds.

Over time, one works through the disturbing memories and emotions that come up during meditation and begins to tire of the repetitive tape of the mind chatter. Then one becomes more able to reject the drama of the mind and increases the ability to quiet the mind. This process can take years, but the effort is worthwhile. Once mastered, meditation becomes a way to leave the daily stresses and come into a calm peaceful state of mind. I have found that more regular meditation helps to keep the mind calm. I notice a difference when meditating twice a day verses once daily, or between daily meditation and meditating several times a week or weekly.

If you have difficulty developing the discipline of the practice, you might seek out a group of mediators in your area to sit with. Wednesday nights seems to be a common meeting time for meditation and spiritual groups. KB

Here's the NY Times article about the TM studies on reducing heart attacks:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/can-meditation-curb-heart-attacks/?scp=1-b&sq=&st=nyt

Here's the one of the studies sited in the Times article presented at the American Heart Association: