Fall Newsletter 2021

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.”
~Shira Tamir

Welcome to the fall season of 2021! As earth energy winds down and growth begins to slow, so too does the inner body clock. This is primarily felt by those living in a classic four season location, like the Northeast of America. Here is where autumn really shows its colors, its scent and its overwhelming vibrant performance with some calling areas like Letchworth State Park in western New York the Grand Canyon of the East.

Autumn is a transitioning time for nature and can be utilized to allow for a full embrace by the human body. Animals do it instinctively but humans are often too tethered to social and cultural programing which has removed many from their natural sense of change. By recognizing specific autumn associated constitutions that may need balancing, re-balancing, or strengthening to enjoy the tide of fall rather than swim against it, is a journey worth taking. Like leaves from a tree, it is a season that offers a ‘stripping’ of emotional and physical constraints, purging negativity, stress, and strife to begin a deep re-birth of a more optimal, empowering way of living.

Learn how naturopathic modalities by Integrative Med Solutions (IMS) such as acupuncture, botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy and more can help embrace a fall season. Rise up and float on a cloud of healing enlightenment to be utilized and shared throughout.

Balance Metal, Balance Grief

Autumn is the season of metal. As grief is the emotion associated with metal, sometimes being unable to let go of blocked or imbalanced metal (like the falling leaves), good health can be adversely affected. This is particularly concerning regarding the two organs associated with metal (and autumn) which are the lungs and the colon. These two organs are the first affected when emotional baggage is accumulated. This can manifest as respiratory compromise like asthma and/or digestive difficulty which presents as constipation, a major symptom of holding in grief. However, these are literal examples as the mind too can become suffocated and constipated closing off to change and to release of deep held negativity.

The Institute of Classical Five Element Acupuncture explains the process of imbalanced grief,

“In Chinese medicine, autumn is the season of the element Metal (or air). Grief is the emotion of the Metal element. We all experience loss, separation, and “letting go,” and we appropriately feel grief at those times. Grief cleanses us of what is no longer needed in our lives. When the energy of Metal is blocked or imbalanced within us, our expression of grief likewise becomes imbalanced and inappropriate. It may be excessive and ongoing. Or, in the other extreme, it may be absent, as in those who cannot express their grief.”

Balance metal and one will balance grief which, in turn, will balance the lungs and the colon. When these are in place, the rest of the body will follow, lifting up the essential vibration that could lead to more joy, fulfillment and overall quality of life.

Ideas on how to rebalance metal:

• Declutter – Organize desks drawers, pots and pans, closets, anything that is in disarray. This will help declutter the mind as well.
• Material Purge – Discard old items that are becoming obstacles rather than used. Less is more.
• Mind Cleanse – Think long and hard about items that may be anchors to emotional release. Whether confronting and changing through personal work, using a therapist, or both, cleansing the mind of unhealthy anchors brings freedom for a fall rebirth. Examples of harbored anchors include: resentments, prejudices, jealousies, hatreds, envies.
• Practice affirmations – Issues that cannot be resolved directly can be attempted to be resolved symbolically. Whether in a personal struggle or others, write down each issue on paper being as specific as possible, read it out loud, and then burn each one (safely of course). Doing this gives you a kinetic, auditory, and visual affirmation of releasing each issue from your mind.
• Breathe – Taking outside autumn air in the nose and out the mouth (do not gulp air) each morning, afternoon and evening brings rejuvenating and invigorating oxygenation into the system, cleansing and stimulating the lungs. Meditation works well here.
• Hydrating – Keep the colon moving with good water intake which is about 4-8 glasses per day. Hydration often relieves constipation. Other remedies may include: eating prunes or drinking prune juice; increasing fiber intake (fruits and vegetables); small doses of castor oil.

Fall Checklist

Recognizing imbalanced metal and following ways to rebalance it is an essential start to this change of seasons. Once this application is put into play, a fall checklist is a good reference throughout this time of year to stay grounded and healthy.

Lung Support – As autumn is a time of clean crisp air the lungs continuously work to deflect pathogens. Supporting lung function means avoiding colds, allergies, flus, bronchitis, and asthma. Some of the best ways to shore up the lungs is to:

• Drink plenty of fluids, like water, green tea, Yerba mate, or twig teas like Bancha or Kukicha.
• Do a sinus rinse with sterilized saline solution twice per day.
• Shower before bed to cleanse the body of embedded allergens that can compromise respiration.
• Subscribe to a daily scarf covering the back of the neck. This is the “wind” point and according to Classical Chinese Medicine, the wind point is the gate that, if not protected, opens to illness.

Start an Acupuncture Protocol – Acupuncture moves energy. Whether it is a physical injury that needs inner motion or an emotional struggle that needs rebalancing, acupuncture has shown good results in helping the body adjust to seasonal as well as systemic change. Some issues acupuncture can address that may be associated with fall are:

• Stress relief
• Sleep support
• Energy re-balance
• Immune boost
• Emotional calm
• Purging of embedded toxins

Acupuncture takes time so be aware that each session is a meditative stillness with painless, hair-thin needles holding in place for 30-45 minutes. A good acupuncture protocol for best results is two times per week for about three weeks and then maintaining weekly or monthly “tune-ups”. Adhering to this schedule, along with healthy lifestyle choices, has the potential for presenting excellent results.

Warm Your Food – Now that summer is over, preparing warmer foods will stoke the system and help it transition along with the season. Good foods appropriate to the autumn condition include:

• Root vegetables
• Squash
• Miso
• Members of the alum family (garlic and onions)
• Pears and apples
• Nuts and seeds
• Pungent herbs and spices

Seasonal Eating

Seasonal eating is essential to obtaining optimal fuel for optimal performance. The foods for fall will address systemic dryness as well as nourish yin fluids. The yang energy of summer is still simmering so transitioning with foods that support yin will help the body acclimate. These are a two great recipes to get started.

Slow Cooker Mushroom and Barley Stew 

Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley
4 cups salt reduced vegetable stock
2 cups water
400 grams mushrooms
150 grams oyster mushrooms
3 large carrots
2 stalks celery
4 medium potatoes
3-4 cloves garlic
1 large leek
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 whole bay leaves
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch parsley (for serving)

Instructions:

Clean and slice the leek, carrots, celery stalks and mushrooms and add to a large slow cooker

Wash the potatoes, dice into 2 cm pieces and add to the other vegetables.

Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir everything through.

Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours (barley is cooked through and vegetables are soft)

Serve immediately with fresh parsley and cracked black pepper

*Recipe courtesy of Kiah’s Kitchen

Pumpkin-White Bean Soup

¾ cup dried navy, baby Lima or cannellini beans
1 teaspoon and 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ onion, diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 6” strip kombu seaweed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium Sugar Pie pumpkin or similar, or butternut or Kabocha squash
2 large leeks, white and green part, chopped
4-5 cups water or stock
½ bunch Swiss chard, chopped
½ cup cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chickpea  or sweet white miso
Juice of 1-2 lemons
¼ tsp or more freshly grated nutmeg

Put the dried beans in a large soup pot and cover by about 2” with water. Soak overnight. Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, and add the onion and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until beginning to brown, then add to the beans along with the strip of kombu. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and continue to cook until they are tender. When the beans are soft, add a teaspoon of salt.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the pumpkin: split it in half, and place on a cookie sheet.  Roast at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.  Let cool, and remove the seeds and strings. Using a butter knife, remove the peel and coarsely chop the pumpkin flesh. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and add the leeks, then sauté until they are beginning to brown. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the soup pot with the beans, and add the stock or water, pumpkin pieces and the chopped chard. Simmer together until the chard is tender, and add the cilantro or parsley leaves and garlic. Mix the miso with ½ cup water in a bowl until smooth, and add this to the soup—don’t let the miso boil. Add the lemon juice, and season to taste with black pepper and nutmeg. Serves 10.

*Recipe courtesy of Gastronicity

News & Noteworthy

Acupuncture May Help Ease Prostate-Linked Pain in Men: Study

According to Naturopathic News,

“Men with chronic pain from prostate inflammation may get lasting relief from acupuncture, a new clinical trial finds. The current trial involved 440 men aged 18 to 50 who had chronic prostatitis and no evidence of an infection. Half were randomly assigned to 20 sessions of acupuncture over eight weeks; the other half received a “sham” version where needles were inserted very superficially, at non-acupuncture points on the skin. After eight weeks, 61% of men in the acupuncture group had responded — meaning their scores on a measure of chronic prostatitis symptoms dropped by at least 6 points. Six months later, the same percentage were still responding.”

Source: https://naturopathic.org/news/577532/Acupuncture-May-Help-Ease-Prostate-Linked-Pain-in-Men-Study.htm

Naturopathic Medicine Helps Depression in the Elderly

Depression in the elderly is on the rise. This is mainly due to losing friends and family while getting older and feeling alone. Also, health issues can increase depression making it even more difficult to cope. Conventional medicine offers a barrage of synthetic prescriptions to tamp down these feelings rather than address root causes or use nature as a healing mechanism.

Canada’s Hospital News reported, ‘Depression and the elderly: How naturopathic medicine can help’. According to Jonathan Prousky, ND and chief naturopathic medicine officer at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM),

“Older people are not given the care they deserve…Their symptoms are easily dismissed because of their age.  We need to take them seriously and give them time. As they get older, sometimes it is more difficult for them to express themselves.”

There are a number of vitamins/minerals that have been shown to have anti-depressant and mood enhancing properties including:

• Magnesium
• B vitamins
• Essential fatty acids

Botanical herbs such as Rhodiola have been shown to have good efficacy for anxiety, depression and fatigue. However, Dr. Prousky does advise patients to seek out a naturopathic doctor and to be cautious when taking botanicals since they can potentially react adversely with prescription medications.

Source: https://hospitalnews.com/depression-and-the-elderly-how-naturopathic-medicine-can-help/

At Integrative Med Solutions, we will design a fall health treatment program that works for you, applied either in person or through digital, telemedicine communication. In many cases, insurance covers portions of the treatment. Allow us to support you to achieve optimal health. To make an appointment or find out more about how acupuncture and naturopathic medicine can benefit you, please call our office at 914-337-2980 or Click Here to schedule an online appointment.

*Please Click Here to see a current list of insurance companies that commonly carry acupuncture benefits for its members. For more info, please call 914-337-2980 or securely email us at info@intmedsolutions.com.

Best in health from Integrative Med Solutions.