Fall 2018 Essential Oil Blends

In Chinese Medicine, seasonal transitions are important times of the year for rebalancing health. It is said that if you get acupuncture during the change of season, imbalances that lead to illnesses are less likely to manifest. The change of season affects the body’s Central Energy, Zhong Qi, (Qi = Energy) because Central Qi rebalances and recalibrates the body for the different environmental influences of the next phase. Secondarily, the body’s Defensive Qi, Wei Qi, which loosely correlates to the immune and upper respiratory system, also plays a role in adjusting to seasonal change and is similarly affected.

At the end of a long, hot, humid and slow summer our bodies are trying to expel the hot and humid residue of the season and step into a drier, faster pace with fall. In Chinese Medicine, the Lung Qi becomes active in the fall. The dryness typical of fall energy impacts the functioning of the Lung Qi. The past several years have presented us with an extended summer, as well as an overlapping of excess heat and humidity over the natural cool and dry energetics of fall, resulting in a longer allergy season in late September and early October. The fluctuating climate, from typical cool and dry days, alternating with hot humid summer days, combined with the high pollen count can create an environment where the already sensitized lungs and upper respiratory tract easily become inflamed.

I have created two essential oil blends, available for purchase in the office, to help soothe and nourish the Lung energetics for this relatively new early to mid-autumn pattern. The blends can be customized for each patient’s individual symptoms.

For adults, we start with Niaouli, an aromatic Australian myrtle, which soothes, cools and calms inflammation in the lungs. It combines well with Oakmoss, a lichen extract, which nourishes the lung fluids and resolves latent congestion. Finally, Orange is added for its ability to soothe the spirit and balance Central Qi.

For children, Rosalina, another Australian myrtle, with a gentle aroma and action, is more subtly calming for children. I have paired it with Tangerine, because it is gentler than Orange and thus more appropriate for children.  A touch of Cardamom is also added to strengthen the delicate digestion of children.

Adult Blend: Niaouli 50%, Oakmoss 30%, Tangerine 30%, Orange 20%

Children’s Blend: Rosalina 50%, Tangerine 30%, Cardamom 20%

For acute conditions apply a stronger dilution, up to 8% for adults, and 6% for children. For everyday us, a 6% dilution for adults and 4% dilution for children is suitable. Custom blends can also be created for patients when they have a treatment with me.

I hope you enjoy the new blends this fall season,

Ioana Boambes 

Scientists in line with my philosophy on a healthy gut flora for a healthy body

As many of you know in my practice, I constantly advise that we need to have healthy gut flora (microbiome) to have healthy bodies. That is why I advise all my patients to take a probiotic and cut simple sugars, such as sweets, juices, smoothies, overly processed carbs such as instant oatmeal and alcohol from their diet.

I have also expounded on the decline of a healthy microbiome in the soil and environment from which our food is produced which further affects our own microbiome. If we ate food grown in a healthy environment and then added in naturally fermented foods that came from this environment, we wouldn’t need a probiotic, but sadly this is not the case. As you all know I am not a big fan of most vitamin supplements, but I advocate the big three we can’t get from our diet for different reasons, namely probiotic, vitamin D and omega 3 fish oils. (I sometimes refer to these as the ‘holy trinity’, tongue in cheek).

Anyway, it looks like science may be catching up with my musings and the state of our collective digestive tracts! As you all also know I advocate a three-week diet cleanse, the modified yeast free diet, (and sometimes longer than three weeks for individual conditions) in conjunction with a probiotic to reset the healthy flora in our gut. This program is used to treat many different conditions including weight loss, irritable bowel syndrome, seasonal allergies, eczema, asthma, chronic yeast infections, chronic urinary tract infections, chronic Lyme disease, and chronic inflammatory conditions such as chronic pain and auto-immune disorders. It also will help prevent these problems in infants if the mother adheres to the regimen before, during and after  pregnancy.

The article highlights fecal transplant as a way to reset healthy flora, but this is only necessary for extreme conditions such as recurrent C Diff, Otherwise the diet and the probiotic will do the job. I offer counseling on how to do this step by step in my clinical practice. Please read the article linked to above and set up an appointment if you would like to go over the diet and supplements in more detail.

Study Shows Healthy Bacteria Flora Starts Before Birth

As is indicated in this article, the role of healthy bacteria, or healthy flora may actually begin in utero.  This suggests that mothers-to-be or women thinking about getting pregnant may want to start addressing their own gut flora now in order to insure healthy flora in their offspring.  Healthy flora helps build a strong digestion and a strong immune system, which helps prevent colic, allergies, eczema and asthma in infants.

I have always advocated that expecting mothers start the process as soon as possible of making sure their gut flora is as healthy as possible.  You can do this by taking a good quality multi-strain probiotic,  and avoiding processed food, such as simple carbs and sweets.  For further recommendations on a healthy diet for establishing healthy gut flora see my link to The Modified Yeast Free Diet.

Summer newsletter

Dear Friends,

If you haven’t received my summer newsletter, please use this link to view it. You can also sign-up to receive future newsletters in the lefthand column of this page.

Yours in health,

Adele

Recipes from the Summer Newsletter

Watermelon Gazpacho

4 ripe vine tomatoes
Watermelon, an amount equal to the tomatoes
1 cucumber, skin removed
1 red bell pepper, deseeded
10 fresh basil leaves
5 sprigs Flat-leaf Italian parsley
½ teaspoon dried chili flakes (or one small Thai chili)
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

For garnish: finely chopped red onion

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until completely liquefied. Serve chilled with chopped onion sprinkled on top.

 

Tonno e fagioli (tuna and bean salad)

10-12 ounces Italian tuna in olive oil
1 lb. butter or Cannellini beans
½ red onion, finely sliced
5 sprigs Flat-leaf Italian parsley, leaves only
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

Italian tuna in olive oil is far superior to the white albacore we’re used to from childhood tuna sandwiches. This tuna is usually available in glass jars, but can be found canned. Tuna in glass jars is ideal because there is no risk of exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA), a powerful endocrine disruptor.

The weight of the beans is the final weight after cooking. Dried beans should soaked overnight, the soaking liquid discarded, before cooking. Canned beans can be used, too, but be sure to get a BPA-free can (like Eden Organics), discard the water from the can and soak the beans in water for at least 30 minutes.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve at room temperature.