julieheals

WHAT THE FLU?!?!

The past few weeks have not been so fun in my house--a mix of coughs, fevers, boogies, fatigue, and sore throats. Both kids and grown-ups have been knocked out by the season's germs. Hopefully you've avoided the flu monster so far, but in case you should encounter it, arm yourself with these remedies to help you get better quickly.

Gan Mao Ling is a traditional Chinese formula used to treat early stages of colds and flu. When taken at the first sign of symptoms, it can alleviate sore throats, nasal congestion, cough, and headaches. It can also be used for upper respiratory infections and mild brochitis. 

Elderberry syrup has amazing immune support properties. It is antiviral, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antioxiant, and anti-infammatory.  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that patients with infulenza recovered 4 days quicker if they took elderberry syrup. In our house we take it daily as preventive and many times per day if sick. It tastes delicious so even the little kids can take it.

Of course, staying hydrated is key. Hot water with lemon and honey and chicken soup are both consumed by the vat in our house. Saline for nasal congestion is extremely helpful for the little ones. And rest rest rest! Sleep is restorative time, so give yourself plenty of it.

ODE TO AN HERB: HE SHOU WU (FO TI)

(image of prepared He Shou Wu, from ganeshaherbs.com)

He Shou Wu (aslo called Fo Ti) has been getting a lot of press lately as a longevity tonic. It is most widely talked about as being able to maintain one's youthful appearance, specifically in preventing graying of the hair. But us herbalists know it does so much more than that! 

He Shou Wu is the prepared root of Polygonum Multiflorum. The root is sliced, prepared in a black bean 'soup', and then dried. It then has the amazing longevity properties that current media is all abuzz over.

The health properties of this herb are many. It is a powerful kidney and liver tonic. It diminishes knee and back pain.  It improves the endocine system and the cardiovascular system, and can enhance immune function. It also is quite famous for it's ability to increase sex drive. In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, He Shou Wu is said to increase essence and blood, which means that it is an excellent fertility tonic for both men and women.  

What's not to love about an herb that can keep you looking good and feeling sexy? 

GINGER HONEY TONIC

Nausea, that uneasy queasy feeling, can affect people for many different reasons.  Clinically I see it often associated with early pregnany, cancer treatments, and with migraines.  Acupuncture can be very helpful, but in between treatments I have found this recipe to be extremely effective. If you get nausea, it's definitely worth a try.

Ginger is called Sheng Jiang in Chinese. It is used in many classical formulas. In this case I am taking advantage of the fact that it warms the center. Honey is called Feng Mi in Chinese. It tonifies the Spleen and Stomach. When combined with the ginger, this simple remedy is very effective.

GINGER HONEY TONIC

Makes: 3-4 cups Time: 45 minutes

2 cups ginger, chopped
4 cups water
3/4-1 1/2 cups local honey, to taste

1. Gently simmer ginger and water in a heavy bottomed pan for 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Pour ginger tea through a strainer to discard ginger pieces.
3. Add honey and stir vigorously.
4. Store in the refrigerator. Use as a base for ginger ale, cocktail mixer, addition to hot tea, or sip as a health tonic.

CROUP THERAPY

(Above: Acupuncture points on the Lung channel, Blue Poppy's Lung Qi Jr., and ClearLungs chest rub)

As other acupuncturists know, it is so rewarding and re-affirming when you give a treatment that has profound (and immediate!) results. This happened to me just the other day. My little peanut Sofie was sick with croup. This cough is very distinct as it sounds like a seal barking. It gets quite scary, though, at night, when it's difficult to catch a breath. After one relatively sleepless night, I decided to break out the pins. So, knowing I would probably only get one pin in before she protested, I decided I would use Lung 9 (Taiyuan; English translation = Great Abyss). Using just in-and-out needling, her cough completely transformed. She no longer sounded like a seal! She continued to have a mild cough for another day, but her recovery was really speedy. 

Along with the acupuncture, I also gave Sofie herbs (pictured above: Lung Qi Jr and ClearLungs, used topically). She had soup, tea, and lots of rest.  I would whole-heartedly recommend this to any parent when their kid gets croup. 

 

HEAT RASH

With the influx of warm weather comes new issues.  I noticed that my little Sofie had quite a bad heat rash the other day--little red bumps--on her back, butt, and neck area.  After a little panic (I'm sure most moms can relate), I realized it was just heat rash.  So I put my herbal knowledge to use and it was really much better by the next day. Here are a few tricks:

• Keep your child in breatheable cotton clothes--nothing too tight, or synthetic. 
• Keep the area dry.  I happened to have Country Comfort Baby Powder on hand. It's talc free, and has several skin soothing herbs. 
• Apply chamomile topically. I've been using Herb Pharm Chamomile for a while. It has been tremendously helpful for teething. Chamomile is also very helpful for soothing skin conditions.  I apply this tincture directly on the affected area, and I also try my hardest to try to get Sofie to have a few sips of chamomile tea.
• Add baking soda to the bath

I'll keep doing these steps for a few days, and hopefully I'll report that the heat rash is a thing of the past!

UPDATE: Woke up this morning, heat rash is so much better. I'd guess about 75% gone. Happy kid, happy momma.

KITCHEN TABLE HERBS

(Herbs from top left, clockwise: Gou QI Zi, Sheng Jiang, Feng Mi, Hong Zao)

Chinese herbs do not have to be scary or obscure. In fact, you can find some of the herbs in the pharmacopeia right in your kitchen. They are easily found at a market like Whole Foods, and can be a nice addition to your routine.

Gou Qi Zi, also known as goji berry or wolfberry, is a sweet, red dried fruit that tonifies the kidney and nourishes liver.  It is a blood builder and a lung soother. It can help with cough, blurry vision, dizziness, and build the immune system. I like adding it to oatmeal.

Sheng Jiang is ginger. It is the spicy, warm herb herb that we all know in ginger-ale.  It is excellent at soothing the tummy and reducing nausea and vomiting. It also warms the lungs so it helps reduce cough. This herb is so easy to cook with--just add it in where you'd use onion or garlic. I like to steep it in water for a few minutes to make tea. 

Feng Mi is honey. It is sweet and moistening to the lungs, making it is very helpful for coughs and sore throats. It is also tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, aiding in digestion. Honey is so delicious and easily avaialble there is no reason not to try a little--just pour some into your tea.

Hong Zao is also known as the jujube.  These little red dates are sweet and warm and are a digestive tonic. They may a little more difficult to find, but I've seen them at specialty stores and certainly online. If you should pass by these little sweet beauties, definitely pick them up and try them.

PO SUM ON!

This week I had a chance to use one of my favorite topical liniments--Po Sum On.  I overdid it at the gym, and had a sore butt/thigh.  It was aching every time I moved, and especially when I stood up from a seated position.  Aha! Time for Po Sum On! This lovely liniment is both warming and cooling, so it's great for breaking up the stagnation and also for relieving the pain.  The ingredients are: peppermint oil, dragon blood (not really dragon's blood, its a plant-based resin), cinnamon oil, and camellia oil.  It has a minty aroma, which I personally love.  I use it all the time, both at home and clinically. Not only is great for aches and pains, it can also be used for headaches, itchy bug bites, and arthritis. You should definitely give it a try! 

WHAT IS MOXIBUSTION?

 

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medical technique where Mugwort is burned. Mugwort (latin name: Artemesia Vulgaris) is an herb used both internally and externally in Chinese medicine; with moxibustion we are talking about the external application of the herb.  It is burned, much like incense, over specific areas of the body. It is warming and can help ease pain.  

Moxa has unique properties related to gynecology.  It is very useful at elimination menstrual cramps. And one of the most wondrous uses is moxa's ability to turn a breech baby.  When held over an acupuncture point on the little toe, moxibustion to turn a baby is best performed during weeks 34-36 of pregnancy. In a study done by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 75% of women with breech presentations had success with turning the baby using moxibustion.  

Moxa is generally a very safe modality. The main precaution is to not burn yourself. It is also important to note that since moxa is warming, it is only used to treat cold conditions. For these reasons make sure you see a licensed practitioner who has experience using moxa.  

TAMU OIL

I have an affinity for topical linaments and salves. I love trying new ones and am very loyal to my old stand-bys.  One of my favorites is Tamu Oil by Health Concerns.  It is a mixture of 3 oils--tamanu, avocado, and peppermint essential oil. Tamanu oil is made from a nut indigenous to Southeast Asia. The kernel is dried in the sun for two months, when a sticky oil appears. It is then cold pressed into an oil.

This emolient oil has many healing properties. It is wonderful for treating radiaition burns. It is great for cuts and scratches, relieves itching from bites and posion ivy, and can even be used for stretch marks and diaper rash.  While these are all excellent uses, my favorite use of this oil is for post-herpetic neuralgia. It really works wonderfully to reduce the nerve pain following shingles.  I have seen amazing results with this product, and highly recommend you adding it to your medicine cabinet.

CHINESE MEDICINE AND ALLERGIES

(Pictured above: Huang Qi (Astragalus) and Fang Feng (Siler Root). These two Chinese herbs are commonly used when treating allergies.

Today I had the privelege of seeing one of my youngest patients, a sweet 6 year old boy who suffers from seasonal allergies.  With a bit of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, his allergy symptoms should be relieved and he'll be running around the playground with his buddies this spring.  I am so happy that he's coming in now, as this is the perfect time to treat spring allergies. To get best results, you should start treatments one month before the usual symptoms appear. This way we can work to prevent the allergies from surfacing, rather than treat the symtpoms.