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Acupuncture as Essential Health Benefit
December 16th, 2011
Add Some Colors to Your Diet for Better Health
June 24th, 2011
Many people are aware that consuming a variety of nutritious and healthy foods is important for maintaining a good health and preventing any illness. However, you may not realize that all sorts of so-called healthy foods out there may not necessarily be appropriate for you. In Oriental Medicine, different properties and nature of the foods can affect your body either positively or negatively depending on the types and conditions of your body. That is why it is crucial to choose your foods wisely and selectively, compatible to your own body. By now, you will be wondering what kinds of foods will be right for your body type or your body’s problems. I’ll have another post on finding your body type according to Oriental Medicine in the future. But for now, a rule of thumb is to include five different colors in your diet such as green, red, yellow, white, and black. Consuming various kinds of foods in these specific colors can beneficially promote the health of your organs according to the old tradition. This is explained by the Five Element theory in Oriental Medicine.
The Five Element theory has been used as a means of diagnosis and treatment for thousands of years in Oriental Medicine. It comes from a belief that all phenomena in the universe correspond to five elements in nature and are also related to human life. The Five Elements include wood, fire, earth, metal, and water . They are used in accounting for the relationship between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural world. It is thought that the internal organs, body parts, and tissues have similar properties to the Five Elements and they interact physiologically and pathologically as the Five Elements do. Each of the Five Element has corresponding organs and colors. Liver and Gall bladder belong to Wood and their associated color is green. Heart and Small intestine belong to Fire and their associated color is red. Stomach and Spleen belong to Earth and their associated color is yellow. Lung and Large intestine belong to Metal and their associated color is white. Kidney and Urinary bladder belong to Water and their associated color is black.
You can nourish your different organs to improve the balance of your body by including five different colored foods in your diet. The following is a list of different foods belonging to each element. So make your meals colorful and you will be off to a good start for better health.
Liver/ Gall Bladder (Wood):avocado, brazil nuts, broccoli, green pea, green bell pepper, kale, lettuce, lime, lima beans, oats, rye, string beans, wheat, zucchini
Heart/ Small Intestine (Fire): apple, beet, cherry, grapefruit, hot pepper, okra, red grapes, red bell pepper, red lentil, red meat, scallion, strawberry, tomato
Stomach/ Spleen (Earth): barley, carrot, curry, mango, millet, orange, papaya, persimmon, parsnip, pineapple, pine nuts, pumpkin, rutabaga, squash
Lung /Large Intestine (Metal): banana, cabbage, cucumber, garlic, onion, pear, potato, radish, rice, sweet potato
Kidney/ Urinary Bladder (Water): black bean, black sesame, black rice, blueberry, buckwheat, kidney bean, mulberry, mushroom, pinto bean, seaweed, walnut
Acupuncture Treatment for Addiction and Detoxification
June 4th, 2011
Acupuncture helps people recover from a wide range of addictive disorders such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine, eating, and more. It is used in clinics throughout the United States to help people reduce cravings, reduce withdrawal symptoms, relieve tension, and reduce anxiety. Acupuncture treatments can clear the mind, build energy, and give a sense of well-being.
How does Acupuncture work for Addiction and Detox?
Ear acupuncture is mainly used for the treatment of addiction and detoxification. Five tiny needles are placed in the ear on the points that correspond to specific organs such as lung, liver, kidney, and nervous system. The treatment triggers the release of natural body chemicals, endorphins, which help reduce cravings, ease withdrawal symptoms, and increase relaxation. During detoxification, your body filters out the toxins that you have been storing up and blood circulation begins to improve.
Benefits of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Addiction:
- Reduces cravings for drug, alcohol, nicotine, sugar, refined carbohydrates, etc.
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Reduces abstinence-related symptoms
- Does not interfere with medications
- Increases mental clarity
Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Addiction:
- Increases the level of endogenous endorphins improving mood and well-being, and promoting beneficial effect of pain (physical & mental) relief
- Directly acts on sympathetic nervous system, specifically the vagus nerve
- Increases and improves circulation
- Stimulates immune system
Effects of Acupuncture in Withdrawal:
- Reduces tremors, nausea, and vomiting
- Relieves headaches and muscle cramping
- Reduces cravings and irritability
- Minimizes mood swings and depression
- Improves sleep
- Relaxes muscles
- Reduce anxiety and tension
