Here at East-West Acupuncture Clinic, we have successfully treated many sufferers of Headaches and Migraines. Beyond the usual Bio-Medical Reasons, in this modern world we are living in our heads literally. Part of the Acupuncture/Herbal treatment is to bring the patients energy down out of the head and balance the energy of the body. Try focusing your energy on your feet, remember what it’s like to have your feet in the sand at the beach. I will often start needling at the feet & gradually move up the body. Head Q is an example of a Herbal Remedy that can be of help with Migraines it contains Feverfew, which is known to help prevent & treat migraines. To read more about the treatment of Headaches and Migraines click here

Pears of all kinds – Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, etc. – ripe, luscious, and abundant in the fall, are one of nature’s versatile healing foods. According to TCM, this fruit has a cool essence, which makes it good for relieving heat in the Lung, or any kind of dry cough, skin problem, or constipation. The Lung itself dislikes the condition of dryness and pear essence can bring soothing moisture to this organ. TCM prescribes pears (as well as kiwis) to relieve internal heat produced by radiation or chemotherapy. Pears are also a bit harder to digest than some other fruits like apples. This makes them an ideal food for fending off hunger or for dieters, because pears help the stomach to feel full. Here is a pear recipe that can help strengthen your Lung and its partner organ, the Large Intestine.

Pear and Almond Soup to Prevent Dry Coughs:

5 ripe pears

4 handfuls of almonds

2 quarts of water

honey

frest mint leaves

Take five ripe pears, any kind will do. Cut in half and remove stem and seeds. Chop pears into small pieces leaving the skin. Take four handfuls of almonds. Combine fruit and nuts with two quarts of water. Bring mixture to a boil. After it reaches the boiling point, turn down the heat and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Add honey and fresh mint leaves to taste. Drink one to two cups of this soup daily to enhance Lung function and help prevent those dry coughs of autumn that sometimes develop into more serious conditions.

Have you seen Goldie Hawn lately? Well this 67 year old looks half her age! How, she uses the Three Free Therapies every day: Good Diet, Exercise and Meditation

Read more here

In Chinese Medicine Late Summer is an unrecognized “season” approximately the last month of summer. It is the transition period between the expansive growth phases of spring & summer and the inward, cooler fall and winter seasons.In Chinese terms it’s a transition from yang (outward) into yin (inward).

The Earth Element, represented by the spleen-pancreas rules this season; it is generally thought of as the center of the 5 elements. How to stay Healthy? Choose foods that are harmonizing such as millet, corn, carrots, cabbage, garbanzo beans, soybeans, squash, potatoes, string beans, yams, rice, peas, filberts, apricots and cantaloupe. Food should be prepared simply with minimal seasonings. Rom the point of view of Chinese Medicine dampness (think diet), excessive worry, living in a damp environment (such as a damp basement or simply our usual rainy climate), harm the digestive system. Try to avoid damp forming foods such as sugars, dairy products,fats such as lard & butter, food that is highly refined or chemically treated, late night eating and overeating. These foods are bad for the Spleen/Pancreas (digestive system) and many chronic illnesses such as Cancer,AIDS,Chronic Fatigue and Rheumatoid Arthritis involve dampness from an Oriental Medicine Perspective.

Try to avoid excess worry, get proper exercise and relaxation (such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong or a relaxation tape). Who can digest well when they’re worrying all the time?

By building the Earth Element now we can build the Metal Element (think Lungs) whose season is the Fall. the fall has always been known as the harvest season, a time to store things up for the winter.It’s a time to pull inward form the open, perhaps scattered (busy) patterns of the warmer months. Diet should include; sourdough bread, pickles, leeks, aduki beans, grapefruit, yogurt, vinegar  and note that small amounts are usually enough. the Metal Element is also affected by dryness (physically the Lungs need moisture). Foods such as apple,pear, tempeh, spinach, barley, milet, honey, rice syrup,crab and oyster can help. Finally, unresolved grief (sadness) can weaken the Lung. An example would be the phrase “All choked up”. Try to look within to identify unresolved sorrows and transform them by being mindful of them. I’ve found that breathing deeply & slowly from the belly button or Hara as the Japanese call it can not only calm & center a person but also increases lung capacity. In short, remember the three free therapies: good diet, proper exercise and relaxation/mediation. Lastly an Acupuncture Treatment and Chinese Herbs can help balance the body and calm  the mind and keep us healthy!

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There’s a lot of hype around soy these days. We see it everywhere in natural food stores and the media. We’re constantly told

it’s a good source of protein and especially good for women. Unfortunately, this hype ignores the fact that soy has been used

mainly as a feed for livestock for years and that commercial soy is sprayed with pesticides. Soy is very hard to digest, maybe

that’s why the gas afterwards! Frankly, I only eat organic fermented soy like Tempeh, Tamari and Miso. These forms are more

digestible and can be used by the body.  Avoid commercial non-organic soy, who knows what it could be sprayed with and

it could also be GMO (genetically modified) Soy which is bad for you & the planet. Read more here

It’s  Fourth of July and it looks like Portland is finally getting some warm summer like weather!! In Oriental Medicine, Summer is the time of

the Fire Element. All the Elements have an Chinese Organ that is associated with it and for the Fire Element it’s the Heart. In the tradition of

Oriental Medicine, the Heart is not only the physical organ but also our mental/emotional center, reflected by the saying ” Have a Heart” or

“He had his Heart broken”. Dean Ornish MD a Heart specialist has developed from his experience a similar awareness ” I think the mind is

where heart disease begins for many people”.  So according to Oriental Medicine the Heart not only pumps blood but also controls our spirit,

sleep, memory and houses the mind.

General symptoms of a Heart-Mind Imbalance include: scattered & confused mind, excess or no laughter (joy is the emotion of the fire element),

depression, loss of memory, poor circulation, weak spirit.  We know Hear disease is one of the largest health problems in America.How do we

calm the Mind? with meditation, tai qi, going against the grain of our go, go

society and just be!!

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine red herbs like Salvia are said to go to the heart (as the color of the Fire Element is red) and in fact a

new herbal product Dan Shen Dripping Pills is under FDA testing for use and we can get this formula at East-West Acupuncture. Some ideas for foods to

include during the summer: eat more fruit, raw foods are most applicable now,

seeds like chia seed & jujube seeds, dill & basil and  whole grains (brown rice,

oats). Try to avoid stimulants and junk foods like: refined sugar, coffee, alcohol, very spicy or rich foods. Of course, get out and enjoy nature!!