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Winter Detoxification

To start the year off right, we could probably all use a little internal cleansing and detoxification to help recover from the holidays’ indulgence. During the winter months, it’s best to cleanse in a way that promotes resources for storage rather than draining or taxing the system.  To do this, I recommend 4 to 6 weeks on my modified yeast-free diet .

I wouldn’t recommend going on any extreme fasts or juicing regimens, as this isn’t in keeping with the season. It’s also best to avoid raw and cold foods in the winter months. Now is the time to keep the fire stoked, instead of dousing the hearth’s flame. The modified yeast-free diet will cleanse the lymph of all the holiday accumulation, help you shed a few extra pounds and keep you healthy and strong all winter long.

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Winter Meditation

“The 3 months of winter, this is called closing and storage. Water freezes and the earth cracks, without harassment to the yang. Retire early and arise late. One must seek the light of the sun. Make the will as though it is hidden, as if it is concealed, as if one has everything one needs. . .This is winter qi’s correspondence. It is the Dao of cultivating storage. To go against it injures the kidneys, and in the spring engenderment will be diminished.” (“Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic”)

The art of longevity is an important tradition within Chinese Medicine that calls for paying attention to the seasons and living in harmony with them. In the winter months, this means paying attention to the Dao of cultivating storage. Storage means containing our resources within, as though our desires and hopes are a quiet secret we keep to ourselves. When we properly store in the winter, it strengthens the spring energy of engenderment and growth to be more robust.

In the winter, it’s natural to want to sleep more and be less active. Our tendons and muscles aren’t as limber, so it’s better to practice qi gong and breathing exercises rather than bending, stretching or vigorous exercise.

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Winter 2011/2012 Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Dear Friend:

I hope you enjoyed the holiday season and some quality time with family and loved ones. As you may know, Chinese medicine views winter as the season of storage and quiet. I’ll be sharing some wintertime thoughts and delicious recipes with you in this newsletter, but first I’d like to introduce you to Elaina Leifer, who recently joined my practice to offer acupuncture facial rejuvenation treatments.

Elaina apprenticed with me for over 2 years, while studying for her master’s degree in acupuncture. Having mastered facial rejuvenation techniques, I invited Elaina into my practice. Her wonderful, calming presence combined with her intelligence and skills are a welcome addition to the clinic.

To read the whole newsletter, click here.

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Weekend’s Reading – January 7th, 2010

Happy New Year Everyone,

Healthy resolutions underway? All of the Good Advice about sticking to a resolution emphasizes the importance of starting small with changes that are do-able and sustainable. So the question to start the new year with is, what are the little things we can do on a regular basis that will help us to keep our momentum going all year long? Here are some unique ideas for new year’s resolutions if you haven’t come up with any sticky ones yet:

  1. Get the formaldehyde out of your closet
  1. Add some Seaweed to your meals once a week. It’s simple, nutritious and delicious.
  2. Research your Water sources? Know what’s in your H2O, and then drink plenty every day.
  3. Eat seasonally. Start with a warm Winter Soup.
  4. Hummm your sinuses clear.
  5. Download some new Uplifting Music to accompany you on a walk.
  6. Join in on a cause you believe in, and see the difference you can make.
  7. Read more! Here is a review of an interesting new book to get you started: The Emotional Calender
  8. Make sure your workout routine is targeting for strong, healthy Bones.
  9. Don’t eliminate deserts, just make healthy ones like these Cake Pops. This recipe is Gluten Free & too much fun not to share

Best of luck in your 2011 endeavors.
Warm Wishes,

Adele

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A Healthful Vision

The art of longevity involves sleeping well, eating well, and living well day to day. As an acupuncturist my role is to help transform the landscape of a patient’s body so that the environment within the body can function at its best, which allows my patients a better chance at living healthy and disease free. However there are many factors that must be addressed, and the power of my treatment is more potent when patients do their part to create a healthy environment within their own bodies.  This is one of the reasons that I prescribe herbs for my patients. Herbs are medicinal. They bring elements from the natural world into the body to nourish and protect the organs, cells and tissues.

I believe it is important for my patients to understand that one of the fundamental energy sources for the body is The Sun. We receive nourishment through both direct sunlight and from the breakdown of the food that we eat, and of course all of our food sources gather their energy from the sun. The sun is therefore how the cells in our bodies are fed and therefore capable of doing their job. Of course too much of anything, even a good thing like the sun, can be too much. The Confucian Doctrine of the Mean, which advocates for longevity and peace in society, teaches that living moderately is to our advantage. It is interesting to point out here that even moderation can be adhered to in moderation, and that indulging on special occasions is healthy and forthcoming.

Continue reading “A Healthful Vision”