Spring is the season that most fills me with awe and wonder.  After the quiet and stark landscape of winter, beautiful colors start to appear one-by-one.  First it was the daffodils, which started to peek out of hiding in January.  (We did have a warm winter up until February or March.)  Then some purples started showing their true colors in February.  And this week has brought us buds on trees and a seeming explosion of pinks and reds and even more purples and yellows. It fills me with awe because I can walk the same route every day and see such huge differences in a mere 24-hour period.  It’s almost like each year I forget just how amazing this time of year is – which I am thankful for, because this way I get to be astounded over and over again.  Daily dog walks change from something I have to do (in winter) into a great opportunity to marvel at nature (spring).  Yes please!

So let’s talk about this upsurge of energy that is Spring and the Wood Element in Chinese Medicine.  This is also the same energy as Aries of the Zodiac.  Think about the energy it takes for a tiny sprout to crack its seed casing.  Think about the blade of grass that, against all odds, has cracked the pavement.  The Wood Element is all about this upsurge of energy after the dormancy of winter.  (Keep in mind that without the “dormancy” of winter, nothing would have the energy required for this radical upward shift.  The quiet resting of winter leads to the upsurge.)

This is the time of new beginnings.  The seeds that we have sown all winter are ready to burst forth.  Winter is a time of rest and introspection, and spring is the time to act.  We see how people shift on the first few nice days of the year.  People are out and smiling, talking to the neighbors they have not seen all winter.  You probably feel increased energy and vigor, that you are wanting to do more.  You feel enlivened after a period of deep, wintry rest (assuming you allowed yourself to do what the rest of nature does in winter – rest, relax, and replenish).

All of this energy is fantastic and appropriate for the season, but it can also get out of control.  When you think of Aries, you probably think of a battering ram, someone who is so focused on her own will that she just keeps going and going, even when she should be acquiescing.  But this is only Aries (or the Wood Element) in its dysfunction.  Think of the nature of Wood.  Go outside and look at a tree.   Right now.  Is it static?  No, it is moving with the wind.  And the more wind that comes its way, the more it must bend in order not to break.  This flexibility is essential for the proper function of the Wood Element.

A Wood imbalance can also go the other way – it can show up as the person who really has a hard time standing up for himself or making decisions.  This is when someone has too much flexibility and not enough of a solid wood trunk.

So right now is the perfect time to ask yourself, “Where in my life can I have more flexibility?  Where am I too rigid and unable to bend even when I need to?”  You might also ask, “Where in my life am I not asserting myself when I should?  How can I assert myself in a healthy, balanced way?”  And the perfect way to reflect on these questions is to get outside and enjoy – you guessed it – a spring-time walk!

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Food is about nourishment and enjoyment, and should be viewed this way.  Something to savor.  A meal by yourself, or a meal with friends – it doesn’t matter.  Food is about communion – between us and what nourishes us.

I have not always had a healthy relationship with food.  It seems that most of us, especially women, have not.  I dieted in high school, and experimented with purging.  In my 20′s I over-exercised and under-ate.  I learned that fat was bad, and that low-fat, highly-processed fake foods were good for me.  I still see this anti-fat mindset with many patients I work with.  At age 19 I could sit down with a whole box of Snackwells and inhale the entire box.  And I was still left empty inside.  This is because our brains and bodies need fats.  Some of the amazing processes that healthy fats contribute to include: building our cell membranes, making hormones, giving us radiant and healthy skin, cushioning our internal organs, and helping the body use fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K).  There is also a slew of research pointing to the importance of fats for our brains – both the cognitive and emotional parts.  Those sound like really important functions to me!

Back to the lack of satisfaction with the “foods” I was eating.  A big reason for the lack of satisfaction was that my body was not getting this important nutrient it needed – healthy fats.  It was however, getting a lot of insulin spikes from the high-carb, low-fat diet I was on.  And why has diabetes become such an epidemic in the midst of all this low-fat eating?  Exactly!  So began the endless cycle of elevated blood sugar, the resulting sugar crash, and subsequent reaching for more sugar.  What a roller-coaster!  Serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, becomes elevated as well after a sugary snack.  (The “sugar high.”)  Then we crash and crave more sugar to elevate our mood.  So we have both of these processes going in our bodies when we eat high-carb foods.  No wonder I kept reaching for more!

It took a long time for me to break out of society’s demonization of fats and embrace a healthy relationship with real food.  It has been a process of paying attention to how I feel when I eat certain foods, and of learning to be comfortable in the body I have.  I eat a lot of fats – nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut products, local, humanely-raised meats.  They taste good to me and I feel well when I eat them.  I don’t eat grains because they make me feel horrible.  Sometimes I eat refined sugar – in the form of ice cream – but I know that I will feel tired and sluggish the next day, and will also have horrible sugar-cravings for a few days afterward.  When I choose to eat ice cream, I choose to feel less-than-my-best the next day.  I don’t do it when I am working the next day.  I eat a ton of fruits and vegetables.  I am thankful that I have cultivated a relationship with food where I feel empowered and nourished by the choices I make.

All of this talk about food is making me hungry for dinner.  Of real food – local eggs, and a “cauliflower rice” (grain-free!!) and veggie stir-fry.  And these for dessert.  Delicious, savory, satisfying real food.  A communion where I will not be wanting for more.

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Schedule your quiet time into your daily life.  It is easy to invent reasons why you can’t take 10 minutes out of our day, but if you already have it built in, then there are no excuses!

Make sure your area for quiet time is free of distractions.  Make sure the phone is on silent mode.  If you have pets/roommates/a partner/kids that could interrupt quiet time, then close the door to the room, and ask them not to interrupt (please).  You may want to listen to soothing music.  I use Dr. Jeffrey Thompson’s brain wave CD’s.  You can check him out here.  I use the Alpha or Theta Wave CD’s for meditation.

Remember that meditation is not about emptying your mind of thoughts.  This is pretty impossible!  Rather, it is about being conscious of the thoughts, rather than getting caught up in the mind’s wheel.  You know how sometimes you just zone out and the brain is running like a hamster on a wheel?  Well, this might happen while you are meditating.  This is okay.  The important thing is to realize that you zoned and pull yourself back to your breath.  And then when it happens the next time, just pull yourself back again.  And remember to be gentle with yourself!  You are not “messing up” by getting caught in thought.  Instead, be glad that you were aware of it.

One meditation instructor said that all you have to do to meditate is to make that space for meditation and sit.  This is so true.  There are so many ways to meditate.  It’s all about finding what is right for you.   All methods start with deep belly breathing.  You may find it helpful to have your hand on your lower abdomen so you can feel its rise and fall.   You may want to close your eyes, or you may want to leave them open.  You may want to sit comfortably, or lie down.  Here are a couple of methods that work for me:

1.     Focus on the in and out of your breath.  When a thought enters your mind, acknowledge it and let it become raindrops that fall into a pristine pool of water. Or you might want to envision your thought becomes part of a waterfall.  Use whatever water analogy works for you.

2.     Another way is to do a yogic breath called the ujjayi breath.  It sounds a bit like the ocean.  I like to use this breath because since it is audible, it is impossible not to focus on it.  The noise also tends to drown my thoughts.  How do you do it?  Purse your lips and pretend you are sucking on a straw.  Do you feel how the back of your throat closes slightly?  Next close your mouth and breathe through your nose, but keep the same slight tightness in the back of the throat.  It may take a little practice, but once you get it, you’ve got it.  Here is a link to a video of the ujjayi breath.

So the main lesson to take away from this is to do what feels right for you, and to not be hard on yourself when you get caught up in your thoughts.  Just keep shining that light of awareness on your thoughts, and you are doing great!

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I will explain by using an analogy.

Imagine a big bowl of nutritious, hearty, vegetable soup.  Only you don’t like veggies.  You eat the soup because you know it’s good for you.  You don’t savor the different textures and flavors of the vegetables.  You choke it down as quickly as you can so you can get its nutrients.

Now imagine that same bowl of soup.  Only this time you love vegetables – all vegetables – but this soup is specifically made from the veggies that are your absolute favorites.  You bring your nose close to the soup and take a deep inhale, savoring its aroma.  You look at the soup, enjoying its variety of colors. You are so excited to eat this soup, not only because it has your favorite vegetables, but also because you know it is so good for you.  You put your spoon in and take your first bite of soup. It is even more delicious than you anticipated!  You take your next bite, and really savor and enjoy that bite as well.  You take your time with the soup, appreciating each bite.  You also reflect on the nutrition this soup is bringing to your body.

So I pose this question: which way do you think you will absorb the most nutrients from the soup?  Which way of eating will benefit you the most?  I would bet that the second way of eating would yield more nutrients for your body, not to mention a more enjoyable eating experience.

Are you the person that holds their nose closed and dutifully chugs down her herbs every morning and night?  Or are you the one who looks forward to her daily herbs?  The one who spends 10 minutes sipping the herbs and reflecting on the herbs’ healing powers?  Do you thank the herbs for their gift?  Do you thank yourself for taking your herbs?  I strongly believe that gratitude and presence greatly increase our enjoyment of the world.

If you are the person who chokes down her herbs, are you interested in trying to form a better relationship with your herbs?  Maybe even growing to enjoy this integral part of your day?  Perhaps you could look up the names of the herbs in your formulas.  Read about what they are doing for you, and meditate on this as you drink them.  Maybe you’re a visual person, and would resonate with looking up pictures of the herbs.  Try to find whatever it is (for you) that brings consciousness to taking your herbs.

And don’t worry – if you still can’t form a relationship with your herbs, if you still chug them with your nose held closed – you will still get benefits from them. They are just that powerful.

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Supplements:
Quercetin is an important one in the fight against allergies.  If you remember from the allergy post last week, mast cells and basophils contain and release histamine, the substance responsible for allergy symptoms.  Quercetin stabilizes their cell membranes, preventing them from letting loose histamine.  Quercetin can both prevent allergy reactions and inhibit those already underway.  Quercetin is available in pill form (I like Source Natural’s Activated Quercetin), and is also found in the following foods:  capers, green cabbage, spinach, kale, garlic, onion, tea, white grapefruit and other cirtus fruits, apples, cranberries, pears, and grapes.

Nettles contain a histamine – but this histamine does not cause us to have allergy symptoms.  Nettle’s histamine bonds to the histamine receptors in the body’s cells, preventing the body’s histamine from attaching to the same cells during an allergic reaction.  Since the histamine can’t bind, it can’t create the allergy symptoms!  I have had great personal success using nettles for my allergies.  They work wonders!  I use Eclectic Institute’s Freeze-Dried Nettles and can attest to the quality of their product.

Bromelain is an enzyme derived from the core of a pineapple.  It excels in reducing the inflammation assocaited with an acute allergy attack.  It reduces swelling of the throat, sinuses, and nasal passages.  Bromelain also helps the body absorb Quercetin.  Since it is only found in pineapple cores or unripe pineapples, it must be taken in pill form.

Vitamin C prevents histamine release, and increases the detoxification of histamine.  Vitamin C also helps the body use Quercetin more efficiently by allowing the body recycle Quercetin.  Foods rich in Vitamin C include:  papaya, red bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries, oranges, canteloupes, kiwi, cauliflower, and kale.

Pantothenic Acid, aka Vitamin B5 helps with allergic rhinitis (watery nose & itchy, watery eyes) in as little as 15 minutes after ingestion.  Remember that one the next time you’re having an acute attack!  Foods rich in B5 include liver, kidney (remember these are filtration organs – only eat organic!), egg yolk, broccoli, and yeast.  Other good sources include fish, shellfish, chicken, yogurt, legumes, mushrooms, avocado, and sweet potato.

Vitamin E:  A 2004 study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology found that 800 mg od Vitamin E per day reduced nasal symptoms of allergies.  Food sources include vegetable oils, cereal grains, nuts, mango, green vegetables, and kiwi.

I have been taking a combination allergy product (for example Allermax by Biochem, or Gaia’s Aller-Leaf) along with extra nettles and extra Quercetin.  I am happy to say that this has been working quite well in conjunction with using a Neti-Pot (to be discussed in Part III under “Lifestyle Modifications.”)

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In the example above, the person becomes “sensitized” to an allergen.  The IgE/mast cell combo are primed and ready to go, so the next time the person is exposed to the allergen, the histamines inside are released, leading to an allergic reaction.

So what’s a person to do if they are sensitive to particular allergens?  Here we go :

Diet:

     Certain foods create histamine reactions in the body or contain histamines.  Here is the list:

* Histamine-containing foods:
Alcohol, anchovies, avocados, cheeses (especially if aged), dried fruits, eggplant, fermented food, mackerel, mushrooms, smoked fish & meats, processed meats, sour cream & yogurt, breads/treats with a lot of yeast, spinach, tomatoes, and foods with vinegar.

* Histamine-releasing foods:
Alcohol, bananas, chocolate, eggs, fish, milk, papayas, pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes.

Avoidance of these foods will help reduce the body’s histamine levels.  I understand that complete avoidance may not be possible – this is fine.  Chinese Medicine is all about moderation.  But I think it is helpful to at least be informed that eating certain foods may exacerbate allergies.

Other Foods to Avoid:
* Mucus-producing foods:
Many people’s allergies manifest as a runny nose.  Eating foods that produce mucus will worsen this condition.  Also, in Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is responsible for digestion and also for much of our immunity.  The Lung is our first defense against foreign invaders.  Both of these organs are very much affected by phlegmy foods.

Everyone knows that dairy is a huge phlegm-producer.  Also high on the list are:  meat, tofu, eggs, pineapple, salt, and sugars.  In fact, a study published in 2008 found that sugar consumption increases susceptibility to allergic airway inflammation.  Sugar has also been shown to have a detrimental effect on immune system function – even in small amounts!

Did you know that raw vegetables and fruits can contribute to phlegm?  , Many of my patients are surprised to hear that these foods may not be good for them.  Think of the process of digestion like a fire under a pot – if you put cold foods in the pot, the fire has to work extra hard to heat them up.  If your digestive system is less than optimal, these cold foods can hinder the Spleen’s digestive capabilities, leading to dampness/phlegm/mucus.  Try lightly steaming, roasting, or sauteing your veggies!

* Common Food Allergens:
Many people these days have food allergies – be they diagnosed or undiagnosed.  There are 8 foods that account for 90% of food allergies:
Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, soy, and wheat.  People’s reactions to food allergies vary.  Some people have anaphylactic reactions, which can be deadly.  Others have gastrointestinal reactions – wheat and soy being 2 common ones for this type of reaction.  But many people also react in the same way they would to an environmental allergen.  I feel that this type of reaction is often overlooked.  Yet I can say from personal experience that foods can definitely trigger sneezing and congestion – wheat gluten does it for me.

If you suspect that one of these foods may be the culprit that’s making you feel lousy, avoid it for a couple of weeks.  Pay attention to how you feel.  Are you less congested?  Is your brain less foggy?  Is your digestion better?  Do you just feel better in general?  If so, that food was probably an allergen.  Do you have to avoid it forever?  No, but it does help to be aware that if you eat a certain food, you know that you will pay for it.  It helps to know what to expect.

And that brings our discussion of diet & allergies to a close.  Stay tuned for Part II and in the mean time, be well!

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For my first post I will be sharing a recipe.  I should start off by saying that I love trail mix.  Let me repeat myself:  I LOVE TRAIL MIX!!!  Yes, I love it so much that I will shout it out in this blog to the entire world.  That being said, I am usually not a fan of pre-made bulk bin trail mix.  It’s either bland or has one ingredient I don’t like in it.  (As an aside, those of us with a gluten intolerance need to be careful with trail mixes and bulk bins in general.  Trail mixes with tamari in them can have wheat, especially if the ingredients don’t specify that it’s a wheat-free tamari.)
So what’s a person to do?  Make her own trail mix of course!  The following recipe has been my favorite mix for the last month.  I have been getting the ingredients at Earth Fare, but I suspect Greenlife should have most of them as well.
You can buy as much or as little of each ingredient as you want.  I usually buy equal amounts because I don’t like any one ingredient to be the dominant taste.  You might prefer it otherwise.  And now for the ingredients….

* Brazil Nuts
* Macadamia Nuts
* Pecans
* Dried Tart Cherries
* Shredded Coconut    (I like the large unsweetened chunks from Earth Fare – they are meatier and more tasty than their smaller counterparts)
* Almonds   (Lately I have been using the blanched, slivered almonds, even though these are not as nutritious as their unblanched counterparts)

Mix the ingredients in a large bag (after you’ve paid for them separately!) by shaking well.  Your trail mix is done.  This is my favorite mid-afternoon snack.  The fat & protein in the mix really fill me up and give me sustained energy.  Plus trail mix is easily portable – perfect to grab on the go – and requires no clean-up.  My kind of snack!  This mix is also delicious added to plain yogurt or to (gluten-free) oatmeal.

Since I am a health practitioner, this blog would not be complete without speaking of the health benefits of this yummy snack.  I will be discussing both the western health benefits and benefits according to Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) theory.  All nuts contain fiber and protein.  Individual nut information to follow…

* Brazil Nuts:  Amazingly high in selenium.  Selenium is an anti-oxidant that is essential for thyroid health.  Brazil nuts are also rich in magnesium, phosphorous, copper, and manganese.  They further benefit our health with fiber, iron, thiamin, calcium, and potassium.  Lack of selenium may be linked to loss of cognitive function later in life.  In TCM, brazil nuts nourish the Liver.

* Macadamia Nuts have the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fats of any nut.  Monounsaturated fats have been shown to help lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and raise HDL, the beneficial form of cholesterol.  They are also high in manganese and have smaller amounts of copper, magnesium, phosphorous

* Pecans contain good amounts of manganese, copper, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorous.  They are also higher in fiber than most nuts.

* Dried Tart Cherries are a great source of beta-carotene.  They also contain Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and fiber.  They also contain melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone.  In TCM, cherries nourish the heart.

* Shredded Coconut contains manganese, protein, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, selenium, potassium.  Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids , which may help increase insulin production and utilize blood glucose (aka lower blood sugar).  In TCM terms, coconut nourishes the Heart, extinguishes wind, and is an all-around tonic.

* Almonds are very high in Vitamin E and riboflavin, and also contain folate, thiamin, and niacin.  Almonds, like coconut, may help increase insulin production and lower blood sugar.  Almonds are used in TCM to move Lung Qi, stop coughing, transform phlegm, and moisten the intestines to help with constipation.

A TCM note: Please bear in mind that nuts can exacerbate Dampness in someone who has Dampness or Spleen Qi Vacuity.  If this is part of your Chinese Medical diagnosis, please eat sparingly.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.  Enjoy your trail mix!
In health and healing,
Liz

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