Mothers play one of the most rewarding roles on the planet, but we all know this comes with some of the toughest physical, emotional, and spiritual trails of a lifetime. In this week’s blog, we’ll look at a number of ways mothers and newborns can begin their life together with natural, healthful supports.

Pregnancy & Postnatal Fitness – Regular attention to fitness before, during, and after pregnancy allows for a healthier and happier mother and child. In fact, those looking to conceive are often guided to pair exercise with ovulation for more reproductive love making. The benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy are great, whether you currently practice yoga or if you are interested in the benefits of yoga during pregnancy. The tools yoga provides for pregnant women include exercises, breathing techniques, mudras, meditation, and deep relaxation that promote health and facilitate a smooth birth. Click on healthandyoga.com’s pregnancy page for more information on these, and check with your local yoga studio to see if they currently offer classes for expectant mothers. It’s a great way to share in the experience with other mindful mothers-to-be.

Perinatal Nutrition is one of the most important areas to focus on to keep you and your baby in optimal health. They say pregnant women are eating for two, and women do require between 200-500 extra calories a day when with child. However, these calories should be well spent, because they’re needed to produce extra blood, build a placenta and a baby, and to enlarge the uterus. All of these efforts require ample protein intake. Of course, eating all the right things get complicated within the context of a busy life, nausea, and encountering food smells that make you sick.

At IMS, we can work closely with you to develop a nutritional plan and supplements that fit your needs. Perhaps you might benefit from taking certain herbs, like fennel which can ease gas during pregnancy, support breast milk production, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Red raspberry is rich in nutrients like Vitamins C, E, A, and B, calcium, phosphorous, manganese, potassium, and iron, and strengthens the uterus so that contractions are more effective during birth making the process a bit easier and faster.

Consider buying hemp bedding as an alternative to mainstream cotton. Why? It takes two-thirds of a pound of pesticides to generate the cotton for a single pair of jeans! By going with hemp bedding, you’ll avoid exposing your baby’s sensitive system to trace pesticides. Newborns sleep 16-18 hours a day. While much of this time may be spent in the arms of a loved one, there will be a considerable amount of crib time in the first year of your baby’s life. Hemp fabrics are processed to be soft on the skin, and they last longer than cotton or polyester products!

The Diaper Dilemma: Disposable vs. Cloth – Disposable diapers are a priceless innovation for the modern mom. That’s why parents are willing to pay around $1000 a year per child on supplying the constant demands of their baby’s bottom. There are many situations where a disposable diaper is preferable. However, it’s worth considering a mixed approach for health as well as financial reasons. Disposable diapers, especially those labeled at “superabsorbent,” limit breathability and expose your child’s reproductive organs to chemicals 24 hours a day for the first two years of life. The sodium polyacrylate gel beads that soak up 100 times their own weight in liquid in “superabsorbent” diapers is the same chemical linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome in women’s tampons. Other less absorbent diapers are made of materials processed with dioxin, various forms of which are linked to cancer, liver damage, birth defects, and skin diseases.

So, what are the virtues of cloth diapers? First and foremost, COMFORT. Babies are more comfortable in cloth diapers, because they are healthier in them. The materials used in cloth diapers allow for breathability, which cools and prevents diaper rash. The absorbency of disposable diapers doesn’t allow caretakers to monitor success of BREASTFEEDING as easily as fabric alternatives. Sometimes it is hard to tell if a baby is wet in the superabsorbent diapers, and mom may switch to bottle feeding on bad evidence. For more information on cloth diapers visit www.diaperdecisions.com . And remember today’s cloth diapers aren’t the safety-pinned, difficult to manage diapers we remember from our past. They come fitted in various sizes with snaps or Velcro to keep them in place.

Please – Feel free to add to this discussion by posting information on your experiences with herbs, exercises, baby gear, etc. by clicking the “Post a Comment” link below, or make an appointment with Dr. Lisanti to discuss your concerns and interests regarding a present or future pregnancy.

Numerous microorganisms are working in your body at any given time to support and balance your health. In this week’s edition of our “Growing by Knowing” series we’ll look at how to treat and prevent conditions that lead to yeast infection, which affects 75 percent of women in the course of their lifetime.

Candida or yeast is a natural dweller in the system. Vaginal yeast infections can be triggered by various environmental circumstances that are especially risky during warm months. This is why it’s so important to know how and why the troublesome condition presents itself and what steps can be taken to resolve the imbalance naturally.

How to Identify a Yeast Infection
Symptoms of yeast infection include redness, itching and burning around the vagina, odorless white vaginal discharge that may look like watery cottage cheese, pain during sexual intercourse, and/or burning with urination.

Yeast infections can mimic urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases, which is why it is so important to get an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional before pursuing a course of treatment independently. It’s especially important to consult your doctor if you are experiencing your first instance of symptoms of yeast infection or if you are pregnant or diabetic.

Why Do Yeast Infections Occur?

Pregnancy, menopause, hormonal birth control and steroids can shift estrogen levels in such a way that your body is unable to manage candida proliferation. In pregnancy, yeast infection can lead to premature delivery, and low birth weight.

Antibiotics are often at the root of a sudden outbreak of yeast infection. For example, a woman may take antibiotics for the treatment of acne or a urinary tract infection and the antibiotic kills off the friendly lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria that helps keep candida in check.

Warm, moist conditions allow for the proliferation of yeast. Strive for a dry environment, especially in summer when sweaty exercise clothing, wet bathing suits, panty hose, and tight jeans are all especially risky.

Uncontrolled diabetes – Sugar is food for candida, so it’s important, whether you are affected by diabetes or not to maintain a stable blood sugar level.

Immunosuppression – As with all illness, a strong immune system is a major player in keeping imbalance at bay. Chronic lack of sleep, insufficient vitamin A in the diet, and more can suppress your immune system’s ability to keep candida in check.

How to Treat Yeast Infection
Teaming up with a ND has its benefits, especially when it comes to treating yeast infection. The personal approach taken by holistic practitioners and at Integrative Med Solutions, allows you to pinpoint the source of the problem and treat that source directly. Women experiencing their first infection are often unaware of how the condition came on and end up suffering chronically, because of superficial diagnosis.

In one case, a young woman, I’ll call her Sherry, enjoyed a summer holiday swimming, laying in the sun, and jogging. The following week, Sherry experienced her first symptoms of a yeast infection. Through discussion we were able to pinpoint the conditions that triggered the problem: an extended period of warm moist conditions in the area affected. A switch to fresh 100% cotton garments between activities was recommended, and Sherry was given a course of acidophilus capsules to re-establish normal intestinal and vaginal bacteria balance. Without due conversation into Sherry’s lifestyle, her yeast infection could have turned into a long battle. Instead, we were able to discuss her habits and support her lifestyle while wiping out her presenting complaint. In essence, Sherry increased her knowledge of her own body and took her health into her own hands to avoid future infections.

Every yeast infection crops up within a unique set of circumstances, and we at Integrative Med Solutions appreciate that your need is to be recognized as a guide. This is why we develop personalized modalities for those who come to us. With a proper diet, herbs, and a good topical treatment, most women can expect to be on top of the battle in a month’s time.

Preventative Measures

• The acidophilus bacteria used in the treatment of Sherry’s infection are also found in yogurt. Live-culture yogurt like Stonyfield Organic Yogurt or yogurt by Culturelle is an excellent way to introduce a preventative measure into your diet.
• Going on a low sugar diet promotes immune health across the board and denies candida the fuel it needs to multiply. This includes cutting out excess consumption of carbohydrates.
• Consuming a healthy variety of food delivers the vitamins and minerals your immune system needs to stay strong.
• Staying dry is a smart way to avoid triggering an infection. Keep Sherry’s experience in mind this summer while you are working out and enjoying water parks, beach trips, etc.

Treatment Measures
An immune support supplement is an excellent way to boost your body’s ability to restore health. Vitamin A, Echinacea, and goldenseal may be used independently or in combination, depending on your needs for 4-6 weeks.

Soy or red clover extract help to promote vaginal estrogen balance.

Women experiencing yeast infection should not have intercourse, as the infection can be passed between partners.

Garlic is one of the best things to take for yeast infection, because it is an antifungal and immune-boosting herb. To get the most out of garlic’s healing components, capsules with 4,000 milligrams of allicin-alliin (the antifungal agent in garlic) should be used.

Oregon grape root extract, tea tree oil extract, and lavender extract are proper treatments when the candida problem is found to be rooted in the intestines. An alternative practitioner is able to prescribe a supplement that contains all of these extracts.

Consulting IMS: When you know the reason for your infection, treatment becomes straightforward and edifying. Contact Dr. Fred Lisanti to learn how you can begin to feel relief and suffer no longer!

Selenium is an element that was discovered and introduced to the periodic table in 1817. In its metallic form Selenium (Se) conducts electricity, like many other metals. However in 1873, something interesting and different was discovered about the grey metallic form of Se. Its conductivity is greater in light than in darkness. Interesting!

Later it was discovered that trace amounts of selenium in animal and human diets are essential. Selenium gained recognition in recent years because of its addition to the list of nutritional antioxidants. Antioxidants offer protection against some of our toughest diseases as well on the affects of aging. Selenium is a component of several enzymes that reduce the presence of harmful antioxidants in the body.

How Does Selenium Act to Fight Oxidation and Other Illness?
In 1973, it was discovered that selenium aids conditions that are marked by both selenium and vitamin E deficiency. Both molecules have an antioxidant function. As a part of the enzyme gluthathione peroxidase (SeGPx) selenium prevents free radical formation and breaks down peroxide into water. Research from the 1980s and 1990s shows that selenium deficiency may empower certain viruses. For example, damage was reduced when a virus causing heart lesions was treated with selenium supplementation in mice.

Selenium and Cancer
Some studies indicate that deaths from lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers are lower among people with higher blood levels or intake of selenium. Incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer is much higher in areas of the United States where there is low selenium content in the soil. The effects of selenium supplements on seven types of skin cancers were studied from 1983 through the early 1990s. Daily selenium supplements did not affect the recurrence of skin cancer, but selenium supplementation was found to reduce the occurrence of and death from total cancers.

Selenium affects cancer risk in two ways. Its antioxidant properties help protect the body from free radical damage. Also, selenium supplementation prevents and slows tumor growth, because it enhances immune cell activity and suppresses the development of blood vessels to tumor sights.

Dietary Sources of Selenium
- Wheat germ (11 mcg)
- Whole wheat bread (66 mcg)
- Oats (56 mcg)
- Turnips (27 mcg)
- Brazil nuts (103 mcg)
- Bran (63 mcg)
- Brown rice (39 mcg)
- Garlic (25 mcg)

Diseases Linked to Selenium Deficiency
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Keshan disease (a heart disease common in regions with low Se soil in China)

Beneficial Effects
- Antioxidant activity (SeGPx)
- Thyroid hormone Production
- Antagonistic to heavy metals

• Lead
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Aluminum

Principal Uses
In combination with vitamin E, selenium prevents free radical damage to cell membranes, proteins, and DNA.
- Anti-cancer
- Enhanced immune function
- Fighting cardiovascular and circulatory disease
- Inflammatory conditions

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Eczema
• Psoriasis

- Cataracts
- Pregnancy/SIDS

Is Selenium a Supplement for You?
Selenium is absorbed by many vegetables through the soil and is present in various meats, depending on the region where vegetables are grown and animals graze. Because of the safety issues, it is advisable that anyone seeking to maintain a balanced level of selenium in their system consult with a professional before introducing dietary changes or taking supplements that alter selenium levels in the system.

If you are interested in seeking the benefits of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention, protection against the toxicity of cisplatin chemotherapy, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions, please contact our office. The professionals at Integrative Med Solutions are able to work with you on a personal basis to construct a dosage appropriate for your system. Selenomethionine and high selenium yeast are preferred forms for treatment and are available through a modality to suit your needs at IMS.

——
“selenium” http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/selenium.aspx from The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2008.
“Selenium: Antioxidant and Cancer Quencher” http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Selenium_Antioxidant.shtml by Stephanie Briggs, Ph.D. in Nutrition Science News, March 1999.
“Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium” http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp

This is the first feature of IMS’ “Growing by Knowing” series. The series will focus on strengthening awareness of simple facts that can enhance quality of life. This week’s take on “Growing by Knowing” is quite literal. We’ll explore the wonders of wheatgrass and how you can grow, consume, and reap the benefits of its green goodness right at home.

SOME BENEFITS
Wheatgrass juice can dissolve scars formed in the lungs due to breathing acid gasses. The effect of carbon monoxide is minimized, because the chlorophyll within increases hemoglobin production.

Wheatgrass juice reduces high blood pressure & enhances the capillaries.

Wheatgrass juice is great for constipation and keeping the bowels open. It’s high in magnesium!

A small amount of wheatgrass juice helps prevents tooth decay.

Farmers in the Midwest who have sterile cows and bulls put them on wheatgrass to restore fertility. Why? The high magnesium content in chlorophyll builds enzymes that restore the sex hormones.

Wheatgrass Juice is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available.

Chlorophyll is the first product of light and, therefore, contains more light energy than any other element.

GROWING BY KNOWING!
Bringing wheatgrass into your diet gives you the additional benefits of growing by knowing. You can experience the health benefits of wheatgrass, while cultivating it in the comfort of your home. Bringing life from the seed is a rewarding learning experience, and a great spring project to share in with friends or family. Kids love to take part in a kitchen “wheatgrass garden,” especially when then are able to reap tasty juices of their effort.

In order to ingest and benefit from your homegrown wheatgrass, you must buy organic seeds! Organic wheatgrass seeds are readily available online. Here’s just what you’ll need to create a 11″ x 21″ patch:”

• One greenhouse tray, without drainage.
• About 1.5 cups of wheat seed (wheatberries) organically grown either spring wheat and winter wheat are fine.
• Unbleached paper towels to fit the tray.
• Polyethylene sheet large enough to cover tray. (Keeps moisture in during the early sprouting.)
• Optional: Spray bottle for moistening seeds.

Day 1

• Wash the seeds in clean water, drain, and refill container to soak the seeds for 8 to 12 hours.
• Line the tray a couple of layers of unbleached paper towels. Saturate the liner with water and drain off excess.
• Spread one layer of soaked seeds as evenly as you can over the wet liner.
• Loosely cover with the poly sheet, to keep in moisture.

Day 2 and 3

• Lift plastic sprinkle seeds to keep moist. (They should be moist but not standing in water.)

Day 4

Wheat should be starting to grip the towel or baby blanket.

• If firmly attached, you may be able to lift the matting and pour 1/2 cup water into the tray.

Day 5

• Add about 1/2 cup water daily.
• Adjust to your conditions. Add more water if it seems too dry, less if too wet. You can allow the leaves to lift the loose polyethylene cover, in dry conditions. Remove if conditions are moist or mould is noted.

Day 6 to 9

• Continue adding water every day.
• You may need to increase the water quantity a bit as the wheatgrass gets taller.

Day 10 +

• Cut the wheatgrass as needed, with a scissors or sharp knife.
• Cut close to the roots, but above any traces of mold that might be evident at the root level. Rinse and juice with a wheatgrass juicer, or grind in a blender with water and strain.
• If you choose to continue watering the wheatgrass, it will continue to grow for 5 or 10 more days as you use it.

TIPS

• OK temperatures: between 60F – 75F. Ideal temperature is 67F.
• Avoid direct sunlight, bright indirect light is OK. Fluorescent light is OK as well.
• Dry air is preferable to humid, if mold is a problem.
• Using a fan to move air is useful if mold is a problem.
• Wheatgrass can be cut as short as 3.5″ tall and may grow to may get 7 or 8 inches tall.

RESOURCES
I’m including some useful wheatgrass linkage below. A Google search provides volumes of recipes that incorporate wheatgrass. Explore and discover a combination that’s just to your taste.

As always, feel free to contact the IMS office for more information on freshly grown wheatgrass or to learn about available wheatgrass supplements or post your own wheatgrass stories by leaving a comment below!

What is Personal Coaching?
Personal coaching is a relationship between a client and coach that is based on the client’s expressed interests, goals, and objectives. Inquiry, reflection, and discussion with a personal coach allows for a partnership in healing that strengthens the identification of goals to be achieved and the development of strategies to be implemented toward reaching a desired experience. Together coach and client evolve a plan to suit the individual client’s needs according to his or her environment. The coach provides an unbiased, professional insight and teaches skills to empower the client.

How is Personal Coaching Applied?

Coaching can help you reach your goals by providing support, encouragement, and avenues to overcome obstacles. Like working with a play director, the relationship between personal coach and client is synergistic. The creativity of two minds working together in a noncritical, supportive way is incredibly effective for reaching optimal being.

At IMS, clients may enter into treatment seeking coaching to overcome anxiety, phobias, or to increase the overall quality of their health. Others come in without prior knowledge of personal coaching and find that it is an excellent modality in combination with others such as acupuncture, nutritional supplements, etc. Coaching can help you…

• Improve relationships
• Gain new perspectives
• Effectively organize your environment
• Resolve negative patterns
• Improve your health
• Teach you to break through feelings that hinder you from taking action on your goals
• Help you get a clear vision of how you want your life to be
• Have a deeper connection with your spirituality
• Remind you of your strengths and gifts

…in the context of a powerful support system!

Your sessions will be customized to meet your needs. This means each session is unique and shaped to meet your needs at the time of interaction. The title of Gauguin’s most famous painting, “Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?” comes to mind when I think of the ways clients arrive at the big picture in personal coaching. A session aims to arrive at appropriate actions or steps that will move you toward a balance. Whether presenting complaints are psychological or physical in nature, the emotional intelligence and spiritual growth afforded by personal coaching heals while supplying you with tools for future prevention.

Psychoneuroimmunology: An Integrative Approach
Terminologies like psychoneuoimmunology are cropping up in medical texts to account for the multidimensional nature of sickness and health. The AMA (American Medical Association) now recognizes that up to 85% of disease is related to stress. Life is a continual journey through experience, and stress is a part of adapting to any change. Many people cope well with stress and remain healthy when confronting difficulties. What can be done when experiencing what’s called an “immune-suppression/dysfunction prone” pattern? Dr. Margo de Kooker’s lists these buffers against immune system depression and disease progression in her article “Psychoneuroimmunology: An Overview”:

1. Awareness of your mind-body feedback
2. Learning how to view life with a sense of commitment
3. Managing control and challenge
4. Developing strengths to fall back on in the wake of loss
5. Capacity to confide traumas and feelings to yourself and others

As a field, psychoneuroimmunology reflects the growing consciousness of a need for eclectic therapies. In an integrative approach with personal coaching healthcare “becomes [in Dr. de Kooker's words] an adventure into awareness and a constant revelation of the complexities of the human condition.”

To learn more about how personal coaching may enrich your life and boost your health, please contact our office.

Hypnosis is one of the most popular alternative healing practices in the United States. Hypnotherapy advertisements ensuring weight loss, bolstered self-esteem, smoking cessation, and more can be found on billboards lining highways and advertisements alongside Google search results. Hypnosis’ healing capacities are often sensationalized as an exotic and mysterious. However, a look at the processes at work during hypnotherapy leads to better understanding of how psyche and soma integrate seamlessly in our daily lives.

In the West, most children are introduced to hypnosis through shows that amuse as audience volunteers cluck and strut like chickens across a stage. Kids leave the auditorium amused by and intrigued with hypnosis and grateful that they did not raise their hands to volunteer!

Hypnotists do make great entertainers. But how do they do their work? Are their methods as “all powerful” as they might seem? And how is this tool used in a healing practice?

What is the Hypnotic Trance?

Subjects in a hypnotic trance are not “slaves” to their “masters.” Giving that impression adds drama to a stage show, but the truth is that participants have absolute free will. So what are the characteristics that make up the hypnotic trance?

• Hyperattention
• Suggestibility
• Relaxation
• Heightened Imagination

A state made up of these characteristics is not uncommon in our everyday lives. Think of a time when you were caught up in a daydream. You were fully conscious in that moment, but your thoughts were so intently focused on the subject in your mind’s eye that you were able to tune out most of the stimuli in your environment.

The effect is also similar to what happens when you watch a movie. The imaginary movie world is able to fully engage your emotions so that you may find yourself crying or laughing along with the characters and tuning out your own worries and doubts.

How does Hypnosis Help?

Thousands of years ago ancient healers were able to incorporate this natural trance state into their healing arts. Today, hypnosis is recognized as a way to access a person’s subconscious mind directly. While your conscious mind is busy sorting out your daily schedule, reviewing the grocery list, and calculating the time it will take to commute to your Uncle’s house for a family meal next weekend, your subconscious mind is taking care of your “automatic” activities.

The subconscious mind regulates activities from respiration to processing the numerous physical sensations your body receives on a given day. The part of your mind that hypnosis is able to tap into is responsible for most of your thinking and decisions! Hypnotism works to subdue your conscious mind so that you and the hypnotist may work directly with the subconscious.

The subconscious mind is the source of imagination and impulse. When your subconscious mind is in control you fell freer and more creative, because your conscious mind is not blocking access to memories, sensations, and emotions all of which are seated in the subconscious. Hypnotherapy taps into these aspects of the subconscious for their healing potential.

Acupuncture and Hypnosis

Hypnotic treatments may be combined with Classical Chinese Medicine to enhance healing effects. By working with both the psyche and soma, healing can take place in a bi-directional and interactive relationship. The application of acupuncture alongside hypnosis is an example of such treatment.

It’s been found that a combined treatment of hypnotherapy and acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain in children produced significant improvements with no side effects.

Healing with Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can be applied in an array of treatment modalities. Patients suffering from depression and anxiety, seeking smoking cessation, weight reduction, or freedom from phobias have benefited from hypnotherapy offered at Integrative Med Solutions. We’ve also been able to provide pain management and mend digestive imbalances like Crohn’s disease and IBS as well as foster forgiveness, self-esteem, and confidence through hypnosis.

Our hypnotism sessions are held directly, in a one-on-one setting. In this safe and relaxing atmosphere underlying issues are able to yield themselves to conscious consideration. Fears, memories, and repressed emotions can be addressed and clarified so that resolution can come about. Contact Dr. Lisanti for more information.

Spring liver cleansing is a part of restoring vitality in medical practices all around the world. Cultures in South America, Egypt, and China incorporate liver detoxification into their traditions. Why is this so? To answer this question let’s peruse a list of liver functions:

• Filtering all of the body’s blood 20 times a day
• Chemical, hormone, digestive enzyme, and bile manufacturing
• Breaking down fats
• Converting glucose to glycogen
• Converting amino acids in the blood to urea and sending it on to the kidneys
• Vitamin storage

This list is impressive, but not exhaustive. Consider this liver fact: Even if 75% of the liver is cut away, it can completely regenerate! All these details seem to paint a portrait of the liver as a wonder organ. However, the liver’s unbelievable resilience is a sign of its importance.

“The General” in Classical Chinese Medical
Spring is ruled by the Wood Element. The Wood Element symbolizes our bodies’ need to be flexible, yet strong, like wood. The spring season is the time to focus on liver health, as we prepare to emerge from months of semi-hibernation and move into an active time of the year.

The liver and gallbladder are associated with the Wood Element in CCM. The liver is described as “The General” in Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM), because of all it does and oversees. A clean liver is advantageous for healthy regulation of your vital life force (qi) and blood as they flow through your body. The Western medical model of the liver sees it as both chemical factory and filter. This view is not in conflict with the CCM approach, and one may supplement the other.

Is Your Liver in Need of Some TLC?
Whether you’re feeling well or exhibiting some of the signs in the questionnaire below, a spring liver cleanse is a brilliant way to support optimal health!

- – Do you have any of the following:

• Less than one bowl movement per day, mucus in or on your stool, loose stools or diarrhea, narrow stools, stinky stool, excessive gas, abdominal bloating, heartburn/indigestion/reflux, recurring nausea, abdominal pain or cramping, undigested food in your stools?

- – Have you been experiencing ongoing stress, PMS, allergies, and/or poor digestion?

- – Do you feel indecisive or stuck?

- – Are you affected by hormonal imbalance?

- – Is your level of anger in excess in its expression or repression?

- – Have you engaged in the use of drugs and/or alcohol?

- – Do you feel emotionally frustrated, resentful, or irritable?

- – Is your immunity weak?

- – Are you afflicted by tension headaches and migraines?

Most of us will check one or several of these indicators as we review the list. Especially after a winter season spent consuming fatty foods to warm our bodies and celebrating the holidays with heavy eating and drinking. Physiological, psychological, and spiritual function is hampered by bogged down liver.

THE CLEANSE
There are many ways to approach cleansing the liver. Avenues include temporary dietary shifts, drinking herbal teas or tinctures, acupuncture, and the application, bathing, or breathing in of essential oils.

The recommended duration for people trying a liver cleanse for the first time is three days. Experienced liver cleansers may continue for up to two to three weeks. The ideal time to start is just before the first day of spring, March 20th. So, if you’re planning to cleanse for four days that means you should begin on March 16th.

Cleansing Foods
Diet is essential for a deep liver cleanse. If you are an experienced liver cleanser, you may be able to withstand an exclusive juice fast. However, first and second timers can support health by maintaining a diet of the following foods:

• Organic juices from fruits and vegetables
• Artichokes, chicory root, beets, and carrots
• Wild greens like dandelion leaves, mustard greens, and kale
• Herbs to break up stagnant qi – bulpleurum, cyperus, fennel
• Spices suited to liver cleansing like turmeric, garlic, ginger, saffron, and rosemary
• Fresh parsley, lemon, bitter melon
• Mugwort, wahoo, and fringetree to trigger the secretion of bile from the gallbladder
• Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and other cruciferous veggies
• Detoxifying herbs including burdock, stinging nettle, and milk thistle
• Gentian, centaury, angelica, orange peel, and yarrow to increase flow and secretion of liver enzymes
• Deep cleaners – Yellow dock, blue flag, Oregon grape

Foods to Avoid while Cleaning

• Fast foods
• Junk foods
• Processed foods
• Alcohol

Cleansing Oils
Cleansing oils may be incorporated into massage oils, a bath, or one or two drops may be diluted in teas.

• Anise, basil, bergamot, cardamom, fennel, juniper, lemon verbena, majoram, black pepper, peppermint, and/or rose oil.

Cleansing Teas
Many teas for liver cleansing are available pre-packaged at health food stores. Creating your own blend can be both fun and spiritually fulfilling, adding an additional benefit to your program. You find various combinations of the following ingredients in stores or create your own blend. I’ll share a recommended tea recipe below.

• 2 tablespoons of Stinging Nettle Leaves
• 2 tablespoons of Dandelion Leaves
• 1 tablespoon of Spearmint
• 1 tablespoon of Burdock Root

First, add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix gently. Store the mixture in an air-tight container away from sunlight. When you’re ready to drink, steep a tablespoon an a half of the tea in one cup of boiling water. Enjoy 3-4 times daily during your cleanse for best results!

Results: What to Expect
A good liver cleanse can bring about various response ranging from physical to spiritual instantiations. Most people will notice physical changes such as increased energy, weight loss, or the spontaneous healing of an ailment. Others will obtain a sense of clarity and stress relief. Still others will fell renewed in their spiritual passions and visions.

Before beginning any health regimen, it is wise to consult your physician or ND to consult on how certain avenues for cleansing may benefit your unique system over another. Please, contact Integrative Med Solutions with your questions on liver cleansing by phone, email, or by responding to this post.

Seasonal affective disorder or SAD affects over 10 million Americans annually when long, sunny summer days dwindle into cold, dark winters. Those living furthest from the equator are most affected. Imagine Alaska’s 30 days of night! In coming weeks, the hours of daylight will grow less and less, until our hemisphere leans so far from the sun that we experience the darkest day of the year-the Winter Solstice (December 21st this year).

Western medicine often sites lack of exposure to sunlight as the root cause of SAD, the symptoms of which include extreme lethargy, headaches, depression, negative thoughts, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, weight gain, decreased libido, and increased desire to be alone. Light therapy is often used as a treatment for such symptoms to increase melatonin and vitamin D levels. In some cases, antidepressant medications are prescribed. Other factors that may contribute to SAD include genetics, hormones, and/or stress.

In Classical Chinese Medicine, yin and yang are used to symbolically represent opposites that we see and experiences in natural cycles of the environment. The first writings and observations of the yin/yang principle are illustrated by the sight of a hill upon which sunlight falls. The yang side of the hill is struck by the sun, while the yin side remains shaded. The yin is inextricably linked to the yang, and vice versa. One requires the other to give it definition. Yang characteristics are masculine, active, warm, and bright. Yang’s are characteristics of summer. Yin’s characteristics are feminine, passive, nourishing, cold, and dark in nature. Yin’s are characteristics of the winter months.

Yielding to Yin
The cold and darkness of winter provide a space for all of nature to rest, look inward, and store. It’s a time when our ancestors would retreat to caves to keep warm, sleep long hours, and eat hardy root vegetables and salted meats.

Yielding to yin in modern times can be difficult. Rather than slowing, the pace of our daily routine increases to breakneck speed with the holiday season. Meanwhile, the cold air continues to blow and our bodies crave rest and energy-packed foods, like carbohydrates, to fend off illness. Excess physical, mental, or emotional stress during winter (especially for people who are more yin in constitution due to gender, genetics, environment, and lifestyle) can lead to depressed moods and a depressed immune system.

Treating SAD from a Classical Chinese Medicine Perspective
From a CCM perspective, it is important to respect the Yin of winter and to treat any imbalance resulting from its overabundance by focusing key elements, organs, emotions, and foods that maintain balance during wintertime.

Water is the element of winter. Water represents Qi energy in its “seed” state. That is, water is like a seed filled with potential energy that must be channeled to good use. When treating SAD, this principle is applied to the idea that slowing down to store seeds of energy in winter is natural. However, storing should not inhibit free-flow. Acupuncture it an excellent option for treating SAD with CCM. It is most effective when performed two times a week beginning in the fall to avoid blockages all together. However, treatment can begin at any time to stimulate yang energies and decrease SAD symptoms.

The Kidneys and their paired organ the Urinary Bladder are the organs of winter. Not only are they physiologically connected to the body’s processing of Winter Water, they also house the emotion of fear and Zhi energy or the will. When the kidneys are weak, an inordinate lack of willpower or increased anxiety/fear result. Acupuncture stimulates points along meridians that restore flow of Qi to the kidneys, while Chinese Herbs, like mustard flower essences, rejuvenate them.

Helpful Practices for Stimulating Yang:

• Exercise regularly. Morning walks are excellent way enhance your mood. Try walking 20 minutes at a brisk pace each morning to increase the flow of endorphins and so that have access to sunshine time each day.
• Plan outdoor activities on the weekends. Though most of us nine-to-fivers must spend the majority of daylight hours indoors in winter, we still have the weekends! Make a plan to bundle up and fly a kite, go skiing, hiking, window shopping, or dare to practice yoga in the park on a winter’s day.
• Avoid overeating. Cravings for carbs hit hard in the winter, but weight gain only adds to the tensions of Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you do have a craving, go for whole grain pastas, breads, and oatmeal. Eat lots of protein like roasted nuts or lean meats and baked root vegetables such as yams and baked potatoes
• Sleep! It is okay submit a bit to that lazy feeling. Your body’s clock is tied to the rising and setting of the sun. Try sleeping earlier and waking with the sun to maximize winter daylight.
• Wanting more time to yourself is typical in winter but always remember to keep the warmth of loved ones around you. Take time to keep in touch, and share meals with family and friends.

At Integrative Med Solutions, applications of Classical Chinese Medical for Seasonal Affective Disorder may include talk consultations, nutritional counseling, botanical medicine, supplementation, and/or acupuncture, among other treatments. Unique modalities are designed for each individual with respect for patients’ mental, physical, and emotional constitution.

It is important to remember that treatment discussed here often prove effective but are never a substitute for psychological or psychiatric treatments. Please feel free to contact our office to arrange a consultation or to inquire how we may help you with symptoms relating to Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Q: What is acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is the placement of thin needles into the body’s surface at specific points to stimulate the body’s qi and promote wellness. Please take a few minutes for more information on the history and practice of acupuncture as a part of Classical Chinese Medical (CCM) practice.

Q: Is acupuncture safe?
A: A 2001 review of nine surveys on acupuncture’s safety found the following:

1. Limit your sugar and caffeine intake. Most Americans consume more sugar and caffeine than is considered moderate or healthy. The jolt delivered by these instant energy boosters ravages the adrenal glands, producing peaks and valleys in energy throughout the day. Get back to a natural balance by weaning yourself from sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and caffeine now. To start, try green tea with honey.
2. Drinking lots of water will off-set withdrawal headaches when you cut caffeine and sugars, while boosting your energy levels. Drink AT LEAST half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example: 160 lbs. / 2 = 80 oz. of water
3. Eat protein at every meal to balance your blood sugar. Fish, organic meats, organic eggs, organic yogurt, and hummus are excellent options. For protein in a pinch, try snacking on almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, or walnuts throughout the day.
4. Go natural! Cut processed, artificial foods out of your diet and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The powerful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals within will enable your body to build healthy cells and increase your energy. At least 5 servings a day are recommended. Add berries to your breakfast cereal, have a raw vegetable snack like red pepper slices or baby carrots, and drink fruit juices rather than soda or energy drinks.
5. Take nutritional supplements and herbs for energy. No diet is perfect. If you aren’t currently taking a basic multi-vitamin daily, now is the time to start. Still feeling over-tired? You might want to try nutritional supplements/herbs for energy increase such as l-carnitine, magnesium, Omega-3s, B-complex, maca, chorella, CoQ10, and/or blue green algae to achieve optimal energy levels. Herbs and nutrients act with synergistic effects. It’s important to consult your physician to get the most out of your supplement program. An ND will ensure that you’re taking the proper supplements in chorus and that harmful interactions are avoided. Feel free to respond to this blog post with your questions, or contact my office to arrange a personal consultation.
6. Exercise at least three times a week. Staying active is one of the simplest and most effective ways to get energized. The endorphins released will relax your mind and your body will be well-conditioned to face daily challenges. Go outdoors to work out if you can. The natural surroundings will center and rejuvenate your spirit. So, get moving! Practice Tai Chi, go for a bike ride, lift weights, take a walk on your lunch break, or an evening jog. Your body will thank you.
7. See a Naturopathic Doctor to determine underlying causes. Many people go through life feeling drained and are never diagnosed with easily manageable conditions like low grade food allergies or intestinal yeast overgrowth. Imbalanced iron levels, low thyroid function, and a number of other disorders can be assessed by your ND via physical examination, questioning, and blood work.
8. Cleanse your liver. The Ancient Egyptians cleansed their livers each month. For the five days following the full moon, a simple mixture of fresh squeezed lemon juice and light olive oil (just two tablespoons of each) was taken in the morning before eating. This practical ritual is a simple way to start. For more information on cleansing the liver click here.
9. Manage stress. Our lives are so busy, it sometimes seems impossible to “just relax” or to “take it easy.” When it all seems to be too much, don’t forget to check in with yourself. Prioritize so that you can live in the moments that are of most importance to you, and give yourself time to unwind. Make time to take a relaxing bath, listen to music you love, or sip a cup of chamomile tea before you turn in each night.
10. Get the rest you need. Every person has a unique rhythm to their sleeping and rising. Take time to get in touch with yours. Experiment with bedtimes to discover how much sleep you need to wake regularly without an alarm clock. Not only will you feel more energized throughout the day, but you’ll also be increasing your wellbeing by giving your body ample time to carry out its restorative processes.

What are your energy boosting tips?