The five elements are water, metal, earth, fire and wood. Each and every single one of these elements has its own properties and characteristics.
According to the elements theory, all of the 5 elements are usually seen in a circular motion, which shows the connection from one element to another, and together, the 5 elements make up as a connected, combined whole. The traditional Chinese medicine uses the power of the elements and it is use to either generate, promote or control the cycle, if there is anything wrong with it.
According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, each organ of the body is assigned an element. For example, the Liver is assigned with Wood element, the heart is assigned with Fire element, the spleen is assigned with Earth element, the lungs are associated with metal element, and the kidneys are associated with the water element.

The Water Element

When your water element is in balance you ooze the aura of calmness which will cause everyone around you to be calm as well. You think fluidly and deeply, and you remain constant and resilient. With the water element in balance, you are high in integrity. The theory here is that the water element has a lot to do with intelligence.

If the water element is out of balance, you may lack all of the qualities above, and if the imbalance is bad, the qualities may reverse. Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes that you cannot separate the mind and the body, and you need to treat the kidney (balance the water element) in order for you to be healthy emotionally and physically.

Some diseases and conditions caused by water element imbalance:

• phobias
• fear
• anxiety attacks
• panic attacks
• lower back pain
•  knee pain
• adrenal exhaustion
• ringing in the ears
• heel pain
• premature graying
• hypothyroidism
• impotence
• infertility
• hair thinning or loss
• hormonal imbalances
• lack of libido
• dark circles under the eyes
• urinary tract problems,
• fatigue and exhaustion
• pain
• and most obviously, kidney diseases

Seasonal acupuncture treatments will keep ALL five elements in balance
and have a positive affect on your body, mind and spirit.  

Give me a call to book your appointment now!
Wendy  604-839-9789

The average adult loses 2.5 liters of water per day just through breathing, sweat, and waste removal. This increases with exercise.

Even in the colder weather, we need to be aware of how much water we need drink. The colder weather, the drier air and more wind, hydrating even more important. WE will be drawn to hot drinks and even more alcoholic drinks in the colder weather to “steam our bones” for warmth. However, we still need lots of water.

AVOID COLDS AND THE FLU

Water helps keep your body in balance and strengths your immune system. A strong immune system will help you fight off any germs or viruses.

AVOID BACK AND NECK PAIN WITH HYDRATION

We all know our spine holds up our entire upper body weight. But did you know, 75% of this support comes from the water within the small spinal discs that sit between each vertebrae?

When dehydrated, the discs contain less water, are smaller in size, and less capable of providing the support. The result is increase risk of nerve impingement, additional strain on musculature that supports the spine, and increased risk of disc herniation. All of these are sources of back and neck pain. Hydration helps support our back and keep it strong.

STRESS AND HYDRATION

With the fast pace we place in our lives, stress has become one of the most common causes of poor health. This results in many health issues.

Emotional stress is an obvious and significant factor to this, which few people realize. Internal physiological stress plays a large role as well. The body translates dehydration as a state of emergency ie. the fight or flight stress response. If evoked often enough, this stress will physically wear down the body and destroy your health. Hydration keeps unnecessary stresses at bay. We deliver enough stress to our selves just living our daily lives.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HYDRATION

Water represents a large portion of our blood volume. It only stands to reason that when we are low in our hydration, our volume of blood will decrease as well. When our volume of blood decreases, so does the size of our blood vessels as they must accommodate the smaller volume of blood. This constriction of our blood vessels can lead to an elevated reading in our blood pressure.

HYDRATION is a simple way for us to help our bodies stay healthy and strong. To avoid putting our bodies in a state of emergency and the unnecessary stresses we place upon it, just drink water.
How simple is that????

The following table is another look at the Five Elements, showing the interconnections of each element. This model has been used by medical practitioners for tens of thousands of years.

Some people love winter.  They stay active and keep a busy social calendar.  Others hate the cold, damp air, rain and soggy snow. The seemingly endless days of gloom have them cocooning in front of a fire or the TV.  They hibernate, are inactive and avoid human contact.

At the extreme are those who plunge into a world of depression.

This is avoidable …

TCM and Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM offers a way to reduce depression without the use of over the counter and prescription drugs.

Depression is linked to the blockage of chi energy in the body. It will cause an imbalance in your physical, mental, and emotional health. If not treated, this imbalance will cause various illnesses, including depression.  In TCM, depression is known to be a symptom of stagnation of the life force of chi. This stagnation can eventually cause the dysfunction of the major organs such as the liver, the kidneys, the spleen, and the heart. If left untreated, this will result to a vicious cycle. The stagnation will cause the depression and the depression will cause more stagnation.

When a person is depressed, there is a need to regulate the imbalanced chi. The life force or chi energy should be brought to its original state in which it flows freely.

Treatment can take place with the traditional acupuncture needles or a laser treatment device. In essence, the needles (or laser beam) are inserted and manipulated in  key points of the body to unblock the Chi energy.

As the blockages are cleared away, and the flow of chi is restored both the physical body as well as the mental and emotional energies return to normal.

If you are affected by seasonal depression, please give me a call to discuss treatment options.  604-839-9789

TCM teachings tell us that  is important to eat different foods in the different seasons because foods have specific energies or forces. During the cold winter season,  our bodies should get warmth from the food we eat.

As the winter season cools the body’s temperature, the food we eat should have the properties to warm it. Below are two simple tips that will definitely help you manage your body’s health and nutrition.

Say No to Cold Foods

During the winter, the body begins to burn more calories and fats to counter-balance the cold. This means that the body is spending more energy than usual because it needs power to burn fuel and produce energy. TCM teaches that we should avoid cold food because cold food takes the body’s temperature lower and does not help in what the body is trying to achieve.

The body will benefit a lot from hot foods such as stew and fruits or vegetables that are naturally produced during the winter season such as lentils, beans, oranges, and lemons. Lamb is a great meat choice during the winter because it has healthy fats that the body can burn, unlike beef and pork that are both rich in fats that the body cannot use, both of which end up as cholesterol, clogging the heart’s arteries.

If lamb is not easily available to you, you can eat fish like tuna and salmon. They have high omega-3 fatty acids and can provide your body’s need for protein, an essential building block of nutrition that repairs damaged cells.

Say Yes to Warm Beverages

In the same principle of balancing the yin and yang, warm beverages during the winter will do wonders for the body by reducing the cold and increasing overall warmth. Drink warm water instead of drinking it from the refrigerator. Do not put ice in your drinks. Hot apple toddies, teas and hot chocolate are perfect choices.

Drink lots of hot, green tea. The hot tea also enriches the cells with antioxidants that help fight cancer. Tea has long been proven to have high contents of chemicals that reduce the number of free radicals in the body that rips cells apart, thus causing cancer.

Fruit juices are another great choice –  grapefruit or lemon juice help aid your digestive process. The acidity if the juice will help increase your metabolism. Wine is also a common recommendation by TCM, but only in small quantities.

There is a slight nip in the air and days are rapidly getting shorter.  Autumn ushers in the harvest and the start of the dying cycle of nature.
The season of Autumn is associated with the element Metal and is a time for  letting go of the old.  This is the time for gathering fruit, vegetables and grain for the winter.  Nature prepares to retreat and slow down, and so should you.

TCM combines seasonal characteristics with knowledge of the body, to balance Qi (energy) and help you adapt and thrive during the cool and crisp months of autumn.

This is the time associated with the Lungs and Colon.  Your lungs are a  tender organ susceptible to wind and cold.  During this time you may start catching colds, sore throats, and congested sinuses.  Your immune system may bel weaker.

Acupuncture is a great way to bring your system back into balance if you are struggling. Your lungs have a primary influence on your immune system.

HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTUMN

Your lungs are at their most sensitive during Autumn.  Focus on preventing colds, coughs, sore throat etc. If you suffer from bronchitis, emphysema, pnemonia, you need to take precautions to minimize the impact of Autumn. It is important to eat foods that build overall health to the lungs, strengthen your immune system and help you prepare for winter.

IF Autumn is dry, it may cause your lungs to become dry and may also damage your digestive functions. You may find yourself with a dry cough and a dry sore throat.

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

1. Avoid drafts – keep your neck, ears, wrists, and ankles from being exposed to drafts.  This is likely where pathogens will invade.

2. Be aware of dryness.  Dry air may affect your skin and lungs when you turn on the heat in your house, car and office.  A dry environment may affect your lungs.

3. Lungs are sensitive.  You need to minimize spicy food intake which irritate lungs.  Therefore helping the lungs remain less vulnerable to pathogens.

AUTUMN FOODS

To find out what foods you need to eat in order to maintain optimum health, visit the Rain Drops Acupuncture Blog.  You will find out about the best types of food to eat during the Autumn season as well as a recipe for an easy, fabulous and delicious Potato Soup.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) seasonal changes also signal changes in both your physical and mental health.

The ancient Chinese believed that every living thing is sustained by a balance of two opposing forces of energy — Yin and Yang. Together,these energy forces make up your life essence, or Qi.  Your life energy is affected by the food you eat, your state of mind as well as your living conditions including weather and the seasons.

As the seasons change, so should your diet.  Your diet needs to supply the essential nutrients necessary to enable a health balance of Yin and Yang

Autumn foods are white in color and pungent in flavour.  Choosing white foods will help relieve cough, nourish skin, and relieve constipation through moistening and promoting body fluid production.  Move away from eating the summer fruits and vegetables into eating more fall produce.

Autumn foods include:

• turnips
• almonds
• potatoes
• cauliflower
• yams
• soybean milk
• garlic
• onion
• apples
• pears
• mushrooms
• cabbage
• kale
• brussel sprouts
• carrots
• leeks

If you are thinking soups and veggie laden stews you’re going in the right direction.  See tomorrows post for some great recipe ideas.

If you feel run down or the start of a cold, book an Acupuncture appointment to give your immune system a boost.  My needleless acupuncture treatments are perfect if you are afraid or even shy of needles.  Give yourself a boost and avoid the fall and winter “cold” season.
Call for an appointment now.  604-839-9789

Seasons change and your body and mental outlook change with them in predictable ways. There is a slight nip in the air and days are getting shorter. This ushers in the harvest and the start of the dying cycle of nature.

The season of Autumn is associated with the element Metal and is a time for letting go of the old. The time for gathering fruit and vegies before the winter. Nature prepares to retreat and slow down.

TCM combines knowledge of seasonal characteristics with your health situation to balance Qi (energy) and help you adapt and thrive during the cooler and more crisp months of autumn.

This is the time associated for Lungs and Colon. The lung is the tender organ as it is the uppermost organ and susceptible to wind and cold. Your lungs have a primary influence on your  immune system.During this time you may start catching colds, sore throats, and congested sinuses. Your immune may feel weaker.

Acupuncture is a great way to bring your system back to balance if you are struggling.

HEALTH PROBLEMS :

Lungs are most sensitive during autumn. Focus on preventing colds, coughs, sore throat etc.. People with bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, need to take precautions to minimize the impact of autumn. It is important to eat foods that build overall health to the lungs to strengthen the immune and prepare for winter.

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF:

1. Avoid drafts – keep neck, ears, wrists, and ankles from being exposed to drafts. This is likely where pathogens will invade.
2. Be Aware of dryness – there is a slow increase of wind, and cold which create dry air. This affects skin and Lungs as you turn on the heat in your house, car and office. This has a drying affect on the environment.
3. Lungs are sensitive. You need to minimize spicy food intake which irritate lungs. Therefore helping the lungs remain less vulnerable to pathogens.

Autumn weather often affects the lungs causing coughs and a dry sore throat.

AUTUMN FOODS:

Autumn foods are white in color and pungent in flavour. Choosing white foods will help relieve cough, nourish skin, relieve constipation through moistening and promoting body fluid production. Move away from eating the summer fruits and vegetables into eating more fall produce.

Some white foods are:
Turnip, almonds, potatoes, cauliflower, yams, soybean milk, garlic, onion, etc.  Check out the Autumn Food Guide  for more information.

Booking a seasonal Acupuncture treatment is a preventative approach to reducing the incidence of colds and flues. Protect yourself and your family by giving me a call today.  604-839-9789

The Late Summer season corresponds to the element — Earth.

In damp locations or climates such as Vancouver, the dampness in the air can adversely affect your health and you can feel heavy, slow and sluggish. This means the flow of energy throughout the body is being blocked.

The Earth element connects to  the Spleen and Stomach organ systems.  The healthy functioning of this pair of organs  is important to the digestive process.

Energy is generated by the Spleen and Stomach through a process of digestion, called “Acquired Qi.”   Acquired Qi is the energy reserve for all your daily activities.

If the Spleen and Stomach are weak or do not work together, your body may not receive the proper nourishment—even if you are eating in a healthy way.   As a result,  your energy depletes and you become slow and sluggish.

Improper stomach-spleen functioning can affect your with the following symptoms:

• retention of water
• lack of appetite
• poor digestion
• weight gain
• abdominal distention
• bruising
• varicose veins
• fatigue
• fuzzy thinking
• increased anxiety
• your capacity to concentrate
• your memory
• dry lips and skin

An Acupuncture treatment will restore the proper functioning of the stomach-spleen and you will quickly see an increase in your energy levels.  Give me a call to book your appointment now – 604-839-9789

You can set the to ring at any time interval, once an hour, every 15 minutes or even at random times.

There are several choices of bell tones (short and long) and you have a choice of opening a window and setting up the bell online  (good for testing to see if you like the idea)  or downloading a small program and sound file.  If you download the file you can set up your computer to automatically start the program when you start your computer each day.

http://www.mindfulnessdc.org/mindfulclock.html