Archive for October, 2009

An Acupoint You Should Heat Up To Beat A Cold

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It seems that many people get a cold at the change of seasons.  In northern hemisphere, for instance, September and October are months when a lot of people catch the common cold.  The question therefore is always asked and studied whether the temperature change gets us sick.

“A change in weather may stress out our immune system, which gives the bacteria an opportunistic chance to invade our body,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said.  “In addition, as many people are prone to not wear enough clothing during sudden changes in the weather, their body temperature drops and will be more susceptible to cold.”An Acupoint You Should Heat Up To Beat A Cold

In TCM, a draught (one of disease-causing substances) most likely attacks our body through an acupuncture point called “Dazhui,” which is located under the spinous process of the seventh cervical.  In fact, this is the place where the “Yang Qi” (vital energy; TCM regards that if our “Yang Qi” is weak, it won’t be able to defend the body against disease-causing substance like wind, coldness, or dampness and will get sick) congregates in.  So, it is important to always keep our neck warm, such as wearing a scarf.

At the same time, there are other simple ways to fight against a cold with this “Dazhui.”  “When having a shower, pour hot water from faucet onto that spot repeatedly,” said TCM Practitioner.  “Alternatively, you can use index finger, middle finger, and ring finger to gently massage “Dazhui” in circle motion.”

After all, according to TCM, “Dazhui” is the intersection of “Governing Vessel” and all six “Yang Meridians” in human body.  To apply moderate pressure and heat on it can energize our “Yang Qi,” expel the draught, and make the “Qi” and blood circulate smoothly, which ultimately protects us from catching a cold, or even helps us to defeat one.

Image by ElizabethGreen

Leave Dark Eye Circles To Pandas

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In To Comprehend Dark Circles Through TCM’s Eyes, we already have learned the causes of dark eye circles.  Although we may not be able to change the factor of heredity, we can get total control of our diets.  In fact, some foods can just improve the condition amazingly.  In this piece, we will take a closer look at some of them suggested by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner.

What’s more, we will debunk some remedy myths and facts of dark eye circles.

Leave Dark Eye Circles To Pandas

Foods That Work:

  • Sesame:  Rich in vitamin E, sesame can nourish eye bulb as well as eye muscle.
  • Kelp:  Containing high amount of iron, the main component of hemoglobin, kelp promotes the increase of hemoglobin, which is beneficial to the oxygen and nutrients transportation.
  • Black Fungus:  According to TCM practitioner, thanks to the high content of iron, black fungus can replenish “Qi” (essential energy), enrich and activate blood.  It also is very good at inhibiting platelet aggregation and lowering viscosity of blood, therefore can reduce dark eye circles effectively.
  • Carrot:   Carrot contains plenty of vitamin A that can maintain a normal function of epithelial tissue.  It also is able to nourish eye bulb and eye muscle as well.
  • Water:  Water not only helps to discharge waste from our body, it also diminishes dark eye circles.

Myths That Fail:

  • Freeze an after-brewing tea bag, and then use it as an eye mask:  First, the vitamin C contained in tea has long been dissolved after brewing.  Second, the phytic acid and other substances will have a great chance to produce bacteria if handle improperly.  Third, when our skin makes a long contact with the pigment effused in tea, pigment aggregates and does more harm than good.
  • Drink coffee in the morning:  Since coffee contains diuretic that causes an increase in the flow of urine, it helps reduce edema in the short term.  With constant heavy coffee intake, however, may lead to an over-acidic body due to coffee’s high acidity.  In fact, coffee (caffeine) breaks down into uric acid, which the body excretes through the kidneys.  An excess of uric acid only lays pressure on the kidneys and worsens dark eye circles in the long run.
  • Use apple slices to lay on eyes:   Rich in vitamin A, apple promotes the increase of hemoglobin that can facilitate the transportation of oxygen and nutrients.  Apple indeed is capable of removing dark eye circles, but only applicable to “internal use,” not “external.”

Pandas are cute, yet you never would want to look like them.  “Panda eyes” can be hereditary or inborn; however, diets and lifestyles also play their big part in causing them, or fixing them.

Image by R*18

To Comprehend Dark Circles Through TCM’s Eyes

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Dark eye circles are a troublesome skin care topic; the more you are anxious for them to disappear, the darker they seem to be.  Despite many creams and lotions claimed to be capable of curing the problem, they always are palliative.  Proper diets, on the other hand, can improve the situation effectively, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).To Comprehend Dark Circles Through TCM's Eyes

But first, let’s acquire more information from TCM Practitioner about these eye-catching yet unflattering circles.

Q1:  Are dark eye circles inborn?

As said by TCM, when we are born with a relatively weak function of liver and kidneys, we are inclined to develop dark eye circles.  On the other hand, if we can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle, our liver and kidneys will be hurt and results in dark eye circles, too.

Q2:  What causes dark eye circles and how do they get darkened?

Liver:  According to TCM, an imbalance of liver function will induce dark eye circles.  Also, if we let our emotions going too strong/too extreme, the flow of “Qi” (essential energy) in the liver will be obstructed, disrupting the circulation of “Qi” and blood in the eye area.  Consequently, dark eye circles form or darken.

Kidneys:  In TCM theory, the kidneys not only are the internal organ system that is responsible for reproduction, growth, and aging, but also control the bones and the bone marrow including the brain and spinal cord.  Thus, when loss of kidney energy occurs over time, our facial organs will not get as much sustenance as they are supposed to.  Besides, the human brain has 12 pairs of special nerves.  Among them, the optic nerve is where the eye connects to the brain.  When kidney energy is low, dark eye circles emerge or become darkened.

Fatigue:  If we are over exhausted and leads to autonomic imbalance, circulation of blood will be obstructed, causing the blood flow in veins of orbicularis muscle and eyelid skin clogged.  Since the color of the blood in veins appears to be dimmer, dark eye circles surface as a result.

Q3:  Is medicine for external application more effective than oral administration?

External application only enhances the blood circulation temporarily; dark eye circles return afterwards. Whilst proper oral administration is able to modulate microcirculation, internal secretion, as well as cerebral reflex, which can overall improve health and cure dark eye circles effectively.

And for cures to combat dark eye circles, read on Leave Dark Eye Circles To Pandas.

Image by little dandelion queen

Cut Pungency Add Sourness in Fall

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While you are enjoying the crisp weather, changing leaves, and bike rides to the full, you should also concern your health in the season of fall.

In fact, during these months, as low relative humidity leads to a fast evaporation of body water, we are inclined to suffer from canker sores and aphthous ulcers, nose and skin dryness, swelling and sore throat, coughing, constipation, etc. In the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these symptoms reflect that the “Qi” (essential energy) of lungs (metal) is getting too strong and is hurting the liver (wood).

Cut Pungency Add Sourness in FallNot have a clue?  According to TCM, The Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth) are the aspects of “Qi” and health is a harmonious balance of all the elements.  To elaborate, each organ is associated with one of the elements: lungs link with metal, liver with wood, kidneys with water, heart with fire, and stomach/spleen with earth.

Since fall is also associated with the element metal, and the metal element corresponds with the lungs, we should therefore follow a less-pungent-more-sour diet in fall to stay healthy.

In fact, tannins, organic acids, and dietary fiber in some sour-taste fruits and vegetables can stimulate digestive juices/bile production, which helps break down complex molecules into simple structures and speeds up the whole digestion process.  On the contrary, eating foods in pungent taste will only increase perspiration. That explains why it’s not a good idea to consume pungent food in fall.

When speaking of health, one tremendously important concept that we should realize is the importance of the digestive and intestinal systems.  The digestive tract is the first line of immune defense, and the liver (also considered part of the digestive system) is the second. Which means if we want to maintain good health, we must take care of the digestive tract and the liver.

Once we have a healthy digestive system, our body will be able to extract nutrients and other important substances from food that we need to fight off diseases!

Tips:

  • Foods in Pungent Taste include: Leeks, garlic, green onion, ginger, fennel (aniseed), cassia (Chinese cinnamon), etc.
  • Foods in Sour Taste include: Hawthorn, grapes, grapefruit, pomegranate, apple, spinach, cauliflower, etc.

Image by sean dreilinger

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