Health WellNews

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 5-20% of people in the U.S. will catch the flu virus, 200,000 of whom will be hospitalized due to the complications (source).  Although you can catch the flu virus at any time of the year, it’s far more prevalent during the fall and winter months. To protect yourself against the flu, colds and other illnesses this fall, check out the following 6 tips.

#1) Stay Active

Exercise plays a direct role in the human body’s immune function. Whether it’s running, jogging, playing tennis, or using your preferred machine at the gym, physical activity stimulates white blood cells and antibodies, sending them throughout the body. This improves the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases, so be sure to exercise on a regular basis this fall.

#2) Increase Your Vitamin C Intake

Vitamin C is a naturally occurring antioxidant that can improve your health and protect against illness. A study conducted in 2007 found that a daily 200 milligram dose of vitamin C when taken at the onset of a cold shortened its duration by 8% in adults and 14% in children. With fall and winter being the prime time of year for colds, it’s a good idea to supplement your daily diet with at least 75 milligrams of this powerful antioxidant.

#3) Cut Back on Refined Sugars

Consuming too much refined sugar can increase your risk of developing type II diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. It’s also been proven to suppress the immune system, leaving individuals more susceptible to disease and illness.

So, how sugar should you consume to stay healthy throughout the fall season? The American Heart Association (AHA) currently recommends a maximum of 37.5 grams of refined sugar per day for men and 25 grams for women.

#4) Eat Fall-Colored Foods

Yet another way to improve your health is to eat more fall-colored foods. Generally speaking, the more color you have on your dinner plate, the better. Foods that are bright orange, red and green are all excellent sources of vitamins and antioxidants. Some ideas include squash, bell peppers, zucchini and broccoli, all of which will help keep you healthy this fall season.

#5) Make a Soup

There’s no better time than the chilly fall season to make a hearty beef and vegetable soup. Avoid store-bought soups, which are usually loaded in sodium and preservatives, and instead make your own from scratch. This allows you to include a variety of beneficial vegetables and seasoning, tailoring it to your own personal preference.

As the weather grows warmer we often become more active and participate in a variety of outdoor activities.  An ideal summer diet is light and filled with fresh foods with high water content, and brightly colored with summer fruits and vegetables.

Each organ has a specific flavor that affects it. Foods with a bitter taste stimulate the function of the heart. These include green leafy vegetables such as endive, escarole, lettuce and watercress, coffee, tea and chocolate. These foods can nourish the heart, but consumed in excess do more harm than good.

Raw fruits, fresh salads, cool soups and lightly cooked meals of grains and vegetables are adequate this time of year for healthy, vigorous adults. Sprouted vegetables and grains can be mixed in with a variety of dishes to help maintain a cool body temperature.

You can even add a bit of spicy, pungent or fiery flavors. At first, spicy, fiery foods may raise the body temperature, but ultimately they can draw body heat out to the surface where it can be dispersed. For this purpose you can cook with red and green hot peppers, fresh ginger, red pepper, black pepper or cayenne. But don’t overdo it. Keep your summer spice intake to a minimum.

If you are sautéing foods, use high heat for a short period of time. When simmering or steaming foods, do it as quickly as possible so you can retain the fresh tastes.

Consuming heavy foods on hot days can make you feel sluggish and slow down your digestion. Such foods include eggs, grains, seeds, nuts and meats. As a rule of thumb, eat heavier meals in the morning or evening. This type of summer diet can help you feel lighter in the heat of the day, maintain your energy, and aid in weight loss.

For better digestion and assimilation of nutrients, avoid mixing too many foods together at one sitting. Fruits and juicier foods are best eaten alone or between meals. Summer heat along with too many cold drinks can weaken digestive organs and impair digestion; too much ice cream and iced drinks are best avoided.

Summer invites us to become more active. Just be sure to stay hydrated by consuming enough water, juices and herbal teas.

Ahh, summer…

time for long, sunny days, warm weather, and brightly-blooming gardens. But the season is also significant in another way. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body’s Organ systems are most accessible during specific times of year. During the late summer, the Spleen and Stomach are most active and most open to influence both positive and negative.

The Spleen and Stomach are associated with the Earth element, as well as certain colors, sounds, times of day, and other correspondences (see table). The Earth element is related to security, feeling grounded and the natural rhythms of life.

The Spleen performs many functions, including:

• Transforming food and fluids into energy
• Transporting energy to muscles, flesh and limbs
• Ensuring that blood circulates throughout the body
• Producing a “lifting” effect, keeping the internal organs in place
• Governing our capacity for thinking and concentration

The Stomach is paired with the Spleen, and helps to digest food and transform it into energy. When the Spleen and Stomach are in balance and Qi (“life energy”) is flowing freely through them, the body will have physical energy and vitality, good muscle tone, a healthy appetite and good digestion. The Spleen and Stomach can be affected by many factors, including poor diet and eating habits, lack of exercise, excessive concentration, worry and stress.

If your Spleen and Stomach are out of balance, you may experience uncomfortable symptoms (see table on front). Even if you’re not experiencing symptoms, it’s an especially good time to receive preventive acupuncture care. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine provide a natural approach to restoring and maintaining balance. When we strive for optimal balance, we achieve good health throughout the year. 

By allowing Qi to flow freely, acupuncture can help your body heal itself and help you make the most of all the energy and fun of summer!

Food for Body, Mind, Spirit

Acupuncture and the Heart

Research has shown that acupuncture can improve the health of patients who experience severe heart problems by dramatically reducing the activity in the sympathetic nervous system that regulates heartbeat and blood pressure.

The study conducted through the Los Angeles School of Medicine suggests that acupuncture can be used “successfully with long-range results in improving hypertension, and it may also be beneficial in lowering sympathetic nerve activity.”

Overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system is common with patients who suffer from heart problems. Over time, this may cause the heart to work harder, forcing blood to flow through blood vessels that are constricted due to heightened nerve activity.

The study showed that sympathetic nerve activation was significantly reduced in those individuals who received acupuncture care compared to those who only received a placebo. The lead physician in the study, Dr. Middlekauff, suggests, “that more study is needed before acupuncture can be recommended, but acupuncture has been used successfully and with long-range results in improving hypertension, and it may also be beneficial in lowering sympathetic nerve activity.”

Middlekauff HR. Acupuncture in the treatment of heart failure. Cardiol Rev. 2004 May-Jun;12(3):171-3.

Starting a new fitness routine can be a little daunting, but improving your health doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other!

Why walk?

Walking is an effective, easy, and low-impact way to improve your health. In fact, regular physical activity such as walking can provide major benefits, including:

• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Weight loss
• Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
• Reduced risk of developing diabetes
• Stress relief

Getting started

Set aside some time in your day, choose a safe route, invest in some comfortable walking shoes, and go! While it’s ideal to get at least 45 minutes of moderate exercise a day, any amount of activity can be beneficial. Remember, start slowly and work your way up if you haven’t been exercising regularly. Aim to walk a short distance three times a week, and increase your distance and speed gradually.

Stay motivated by walking with a partner, listening to music, or choosing a route that you really enjoy. Try carrying a pedometer to keep track of how far you’ve gone. As your body adjusts to the new activity, you may find that you have more energy, your moods feel more balanced, and you feel healthier overall. If you set realistic goals and stick to them, you’ll be amazed at what a simple daily walk can do for your health! 

Cool-Out Summer Salad

• 6 medium tomatoes
• 2 small cucumbers
• 4 radishes, sliced
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 large dill or sour pickle, minced
• 1 bell pepper, minced
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 – 2 tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Allow salad to marinate for 1 hour.

Cut tomatoes in half, squeeze, discard seeds, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Toss all ingredients together. Serve cool or at room temperature.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all of life is influenced by seasonal cycles.  You are probably Most people love a clean house but few people have time to do a deep clean. The days of spending a week thoroughly cleaning your home are gone.

It’s unfortunate. Spring is a great time for cleaning. Feng Shui (the Chinese study of harmonizing your environment) recommends spring cleaning, not only because it’s nice to live in a clean house, but also because it increases the Qi of your home. Living in an environment of healthy, balanced Qi supports your health and happiness.

It’s possible to have a clean home without spending days cleaning it. Follow these professional house cleaning tips to get your house sparkling in record time.

• Simplify your cleaning products. Most cleaning only needs two solutions: an all-purpose cleaning solution and a window cleaner. This means you only need to carry two bottles and some rags.
• Use a tool-belt. Use a tool or garden belt to keep your supplies handy at all times. If you simplify your cleaners, you’ll need a pocket for some rags and two loops to hang the spritzer bottles.
• Have a large supply of rags. Instead of rinsing your rag when it gets dirty, get a clean one. When you are finished, throw all the rags in the washer at once.
• Work clockwise. Begin directly to the right of the door. Work high to low and circle the room clockwise. For example, dust top shelves before the lower ones; wipe counter tops before baseboards. Be very systematic—don’t jump ahead or backtrack. Clean top to bottom and when you finish one patch, move to your right to do the next. You’ll finish the room in one cycle.
• Clean all aspects of a room in a single cycle. Dust, wipe and do windows in one pass. Make sure that you have all your supplies in your belt before you begin.
• Vacuum or sweep the floor last.
• Soak your tub. If your tub or shower has soap scum built up, spritz with white vinegar 10 minutes before you get to the bathroom to allow time for it to soak.
• Use a squeegee. Squeegees make window and mirror cleaning fast. For the best results, use a professional-grade squeegee. After you squeegee your window, use a dry rag to clean up the edges. If the surface has sticky dirt, use a rag to scrub the window before squeegeeing.
• Collect your clutter. Use a laundry basket to collect items that need to be returned to a different room. Move the basket from room to room and only empty it when you are finished.
• Clean inside to out. Clean the inside of the toilet before the outside. When you clean the outside, start from the top of the tank and work down. Use a rag until it is dirty. Throw the rag in a pile to be washed later—don’t take time to rinse it.

Green Cleaning Products

Some of the strongest toxins in your home are from cleaning products. And sadly, most cleaning jobs don’t even need them.

Mix your own cleaning products to keep your home fresh and healthy.

All-purpose cleaner: Mix ½ cup white vinegar (or use the citrus vinegar below), one teaspoon castile soap, two cups water and 15 drops of essential oil. Shake to mix the essential oils with the water. Add tea tree, lavender or lemon essential oils to boost the germ-killing properties.

Window cleaner: Mix ¼ cup white vinegar and two cups water. Use in a spritzer bottle. For best results, wipe with a squeegee.

Scrubbing powder: Mix baking soda with water to make a paste. Scrub. Use this on sinks, countertops and dishes with stubborn, baked-on food.

Mineral deposits: Use vinegar to get rid of mineral deposits in your sink, toilet, showerhead—even your coffee maker. Spritz the surface with white vinegar. Allow the vinegar to penetrate and wipe away. Depending on the buildup, you may need to reapply. Sometimes you can spritz and then scrub with baking soda to remove chunks of deposits.

Air freshener: Use essential oils to make your home smell fresh. Try lemon, orange or grapefruit for an uplifting scent.

Homemade citrus cleaner: Peel oranges and put as many peels as you can in a quart jar. Fill the jar with vinegar and let sit for two weeks. Strain the peels and use the orange-scented vinegar in your cleaning products.