Mindful Eating ~ Food is medicine and food is disease!

I was going to write a small article about “How to Kill the Speed-Eater in YOU,” but I found some really good advice for that habit at a link I’ve included. I don’t think people realize how important it is to allow rhythm in your eating habits – not woofing it down – not eating on the run – not eating when angry – but instead, intentionally enjoying the experience. The body craves rhythm. It has monthly cycles, sleep cycles, breathing cycles, rhythms upon rhythms happening all the time. Too much of any one thing causes chaos—too much sleep, too much couch-potato-ing, too much food, too little food, too many thoughts, too many projects, too much anger and too much excitement.

So why not honor the cycle and rhythm of food intake your body needs, and increase maximum health for yourself. There are whole hosts of practices you can follow to increase your health besides just going for veggies as the main dish or sticking to whole grains. Consider the following:
How does the food make you feel? Which foods make you feel heavy and which ones empower?

How does the taste make you feel? How much of the food actually satisfies that craving (sour, sweet, spicy, salty)?
Can you eat and breathe slowly at the same time?
How many times do you chew before swallowing? You know there is a reason to chew, right?

Satisfy a sweet tooth with fruit!
Shun saturated fats and opt for more healthy cooking methods (steaming or stir-fry).
Sit at the table and give your food full attention. Giving thanks for a plate of life nourishing food can be a way of celebrating creation’s blessings – you don’t have to eat junk!

Rate your hunger before you eat. Don’t feed the beast, control it!
Check out this link. The vast majority of chronic digestive problems and many health issues can be traced to eating habits and food choices. At BlueCrane, we don’t try to act like food police. However, we will help you consider some new ways to explore health and enjoy food at the same time. Visit the link.

Getting Pregnant ~ The Tao of Fertility

If you know a lady concerned or struggling with this issue ~ would you please forward this link and a contact for BlueCrane Acupuncture? 434-316-9101
Ken and Diana Harbour L.Ac.

BlueCrane January Educational Newsletter

Qi Mail™ The Acupuncture Newsletter BlueCrane Acupuncture January 2010

Kenneth & Diana Harbour L.Ac. Dipl. Ac. C.M.T. BlueCrane Acupuncture 18478 Forest Road, Suite 3 Forest (Lynchburg), VA 24502 434-316-9101

5 Ways Acupuncture Creates Lasting New Year's Resolutions It is the beginning of a new year and, once again, a time to reflect on what changes we can make to improve our lives. If you are intent on improving your health this year, acupuncture and Oriental medicine may be the very thing you need to "stick" to those resolutions. Here's how acupuncture can help you achieve your goals: Resolution 1: Reach Target Weight and Stay There Losing weight is the #1 most common New Year's Resolution. Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can help you reach your goal weight and maintain it by promoting better digestion, smoothing emotions, reducing appetite, improving metabolism, and eliminating food cravings. >From an Oriental medicine perspective, the acupuncture points, foods and herbs that are chosen to assist with weight loss directly influence the Qi of the Spleen and Liver systems to treat the root imbalances that are causing the weight gain. >From a Western perspective, acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been shown to have an effect on the function of the nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, food cravings, and metabolism. All of which can help to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite, and reduce anxiety. Resolution 2: Stay Sharp Your New Year’s resolution may be to learn a new language or take a class at your local college. However you choose to exercise your brain, acupuncture can help. Numerous studies suggest that acupuncture can help improve memory, mental clarity, concentration and cognitive function. One recently published study (see below) shows how acupuncture can be used to treat memory impairment induced by diabetes and cerebral ischemia. Other studies have looked at how acupuncture affects the performance of students during an exam, post-menopausal "brain fog", Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. All results, thus far, have been positive. Resolution 3: Relieve Pain Naturally If pain is keeping you from living your life to the fullest, acupuncture can help. Increasingly, people are looking for more natural approaches to help relieve painful conditions instead of relying on medications. Acupuncture has no side effects and can be helpful for all types of pain, regardless of what is causing the pain or where the pain is located. Some studies have shown the pain relief it provides can last for months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain before and after acupuncture treatment for pain shows dramatic decreases in activity in the pain centers of the brain - up to 70%. In addition to reducing pain, acupuncture also hastens the healing process by increasing circulation and attracting white blood cells to an injured area. Resolution 4: Quit Smoking Acupuncture has turned a growing number of cigarette cravers into permanent ex-smokers. In fact, researchers say that acupuncture is a promising treatment for all types of addiction from cigarettes to heroin. In one study, a team from Yale University successfully used auricular (ear) acupuncture to treat cocaine addiction. Results showed that 54.8% of participants tested free of cocaine during the last week of treatment, compared to 23.5% and 9.1% in the two control groups. Those who completed acupuncture treatment also had longer periods of sustained abstinence compared to participants in the control groups. The acupuncture treatments for smoking cessation focus on jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness; symptoms that people commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in relaxation and detoxification. Resolution 5: Eliminate Stress Stress reduction is always on the top ten list for New Year’s resolutions and for a good reason. Stress is often the cause of illness and the deterioration of health. Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of stress, anxiety and lowering blood pressure In addition to acupuncture, Oriental medicine offers a whole gamut of tools and techniques that can be integrated into your life to keep stress in check. These tools include Tui Na, Qi Gong exercises, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, meditations and acupressure that you can administer at home. Needless to say, if the stress in your life is throwing you off balance, consider coming in for a treatment to regain peace of mind and stay healthy. Call now to see how Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you with your New Year’s Resolutions! Acupuncture Improves Memory and Learning Capacity Acupuncture can significantly improve learning and memory capacity that has been impaired by hyperglycemia and cerebral ischemia, according to a new study. A study published in the journal, Neuroscience Letters, reported on whether electroacupuncture (acupuncture needles stimulated with a mild electrical current) could improve learning and memory in rats whose memory and cognitive functions were impaired by the decreased circulatory effects of diabetes resulting in cerebral ischemia. In the study, the effects of the acupuncture treatments were measured with a passive avoidance test, an active avoidance test, the Morris water maze and electrophysiology. With all tests, significant improvements were seen in restoring memory and learning capacity. The researchers remarked that previous investigations have demonstrated that electroacupuncture can improve primary and secondary symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy and diabetic encephalopathy in diabetic rats. They believe that the positive results of this study warrant further investigation. Source: Neuroscience Letters Volume 443, Issue 3, 10 October 2008, Pages 193-198 doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2003. 10.071 434-316-9101 www.bluecraneacupuncture.com In This Issue 5 Ways Acupuncture Creates Lasting New Year's Resolutions Acupuncture Improves Memory and Learning Capacity Acupuncture Point for Mental Clarity: Du 20 Healthy Brain Habits Acupuncture Point for Mental Clarity: Du 20 Feeling a little foggy? Having trouble concentrating? Massage the acupuncture point, Du 20 for some mental clarity. Du 20 is located on the top of the head, midway between the ears. It is used to clear the mind and improve focus. Stimulate the point with your index finger for 30-45 seconds for a quick "brain boost". Healthy Brain Habits Here are some steps you can take to help optimize brain health and sharpen your memory: Eat More Produce - Studies that focus on food and memory show that the more produce you eat, the better. One 25-year Harvard Medical School study of more than 13,000 women showed that the participants who ate relatively high amounts of vegetables over the years had less age-related decline in memory. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage) and leafy green vegetables had the biggest effect on helping women retain their memory during the course of the study. In another study, the phytochemicals, anthocyanin (found in berries of all colors and cherries) and quercetin (found in onions, kale and apples), actually reversed some of the age-related memory deficits in laboratory animals. Heart Health – A healthy heart makes for a healthy brain. Because oxygen and nutrients are carried in the blood stream, anything that impedes blood flow will starve those all-important brain cells. Review your blood pressure and cholesterol level. Know your numbers and if they are elevated, take immediate measures to bring them down. Sleep – When we sleep, the brain has time to recharge. Studies show that 7-8 hours of sleep a night helps to strengthen memory. Acupuncture is effective at treating sleep problems, so please let us know if you are having trouble sleeping. Exercise - Regular physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by about half. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and helps regulate blood sugar levels; both of which improve brain function and memory. Aim for 30 minutes a day. Challenge Your Brain - Keep your mind active and challenged. Brain function decreases with age. Studies show that cognitive exercise can improve blood flow to the brain. Spend at least 15 minutes each day on a mental exercise such as a crossword puzzle, journaling or learning a new language to slow memory loss.

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Embracing A Winter Diet ~ BlueCrane Winter Newsletter

Winter is a time when creation retreats. Bugs dig in the earth for safety, trees pause for a brief time before jumping out again in the early spring with new life. It’s a renewing time. Days are shorter and nights longer. This is perhaps one of the most important times of the year to pay attention to what you eat, wear and do since the energy you store now will affect your entire year ahead.

Winter is the time to stoke you inner furnace – to rest, nourish and replenish your reserve energies spent throughout the prior year. Follow the sun, going to bed early and getting up late. This is really difficult in our culture so when you can’t follow these rules or choose not to – know that you are negotiating energy at the least appropriate time. Since the outside cold drives the body's heat deep inside, please consider choose foods and herbs to reinforce and support this.

Diet Suggestions for Winter Months

Eat all cooked food with more protein now. Especially good are lamb cooked ( a warm meat) with dang gui, goji berry, or ginger. I think oxtail or bone marrow soups is without a doubt the most versatile and immune enhancing soup available. Think about the following: pork and beef, root and leafy green vegetables, aduki and black beans, roasted buckwheat, winter squash and walnuts. Cook fruit as well, adding spices like cardamom, ginger and cinnamon for digestion. A little salt and herbs high in mineral salts, such as seaweed and nettles, can be added to teas, grains and soups to help Kidney energy, the organ that normally flourishes at this time.

Vegetarians should especially only ingest cooked food, forgoing juices, salads, raw foods and soymilk since they have a cold, eliminative energy (tempeh and miso are fine). Winter is not the time for cold foods! For juice, substitute and drink hot cider, adding ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Be sure to cook all food with the warming spices listed above.

While spicy foods like salsa and curries seem warming, they also induce perspiration, which takes heat out of the body. Instead use internally warming herbs such as ginger, cinnamon, fenugreek, dill, cloves, cardamom, onions, garlic, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, dill and parsley. If you haven’t seen our great green tea recipie using cardamom, cinnamon, and clove, then go to bluecraneacupuncture.blogspot.com. This is a great energy boost. It warms, soothes and will even help with weight control.

Herbal Recommendations for Winter

Continue any immune tonics started in the fall, such as astragalus and eleuthero and add in Kidney tonics like deer antler, rehmannia, Chinese wild yam, walnuts and ashwagandha. Cook herbs with soups or in food. It’s an excellent way to increase nutrition and strengthen the body’s reserves. Boiled rice soup is an excellent carrier for any herb. In China it’s sometimes called “congee” and it goes right to the stomach in the morning time – balancing and bringing integrity to the system. Adapted from and article by Lesley Tierra for BlueCrane Acupuncture

www.bluecraneacupuncture.com 434-200-9144

The Benefits of Breathing

This is a really good explanation of why this breathing is so effective. Just for the record ~ this is one of the most cleansing activities we can do for our body & spirit. It moves the juices (body fluids) through our system, and if done at a relaxed pace ~ helps us capture our spirit. k.h.