julieheals

SUMM-AHHHHH TIME!

 

Summer time is here and the living is easy! More time outside in the sunshine is good for the body and the spirit, but can also deplete your body's fluids (the yin, in Chinese medicine). Here are a few easy eating tips to help nourish the yin and enjoy a happy hydrated summer:

 

Lemonade. Lemons are a natural astringent and will help your body hold on to its fluids. There's a reason why this is a summer classic. 

Cucumbers are cooling in nature. Try adding a few to your water for a subtle flavored water. 

Watermelon is 90% water and full of lycopene, which is an amazing antioxidant. And it's also pretty delicious!

Tomato season is in full force right now! We are having fun growing tomatoes on our roof deck. My girls are learning where their food comes from, and also how delicious it tastes when freshly picked. Tomatoes are also full of lycopene, lutein, and vitamin c. 

Lettuces are also growing beautifully now. Choose dark leafy green for more nutrition. Lettuces have calcium, vitamins and minerals. This is a great time to prepare a big salad with all of your farmers market bounty. 

 

If you're feeling crafty, try this delicious cucumber lemonade from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/09/cucumber-lemonade/

So good and will definitely help you keep your summer cool!

SPRING CLEANING (NESTING)

 

So what's a 7-month pregnant lady to do to celebrate spring? Nest! I've been doing some MAJOR nesting lately-- donating bags and bags of old stuff to charity, buying furniture, moving furniture, painting the front door, cleaning, and getting some new plants in the containers.  While my husband is exhausted with all of the chores he is given, my daughter thinks it's so much fun (especially the gardening part, see above). This is all in effort to get the house ready for the new peanut coming, and to make sure all of us have our Qi clear and receptive to the blooms of spring.

Feng Shui principles of spring cleaning can really change your energy. Spring is naturally a time for renewal and rebirth, and clutter can really stand in the way of that happening. The front door is a very important aspect in Feng Shui--it can either welcome or push away new energy.  This is why ours in newly painted. Keep the doorway free of clutter, have plenty of plants around, and hopefully have a helping husband who can (happily?) do all the chores you give him. 

A few more feng shui ideas:

• Clean out under the beds. Clutter under the bed is like sleeping on old memories.  This causes sleep not to be restful. 
• Wash your windows. This can show you a new clear perspective.
• Clean the kitchen. Really scrub it. Clean out the cabinets and the fridge, declutter the drawers, and clean the oven. In Feng Shui principles the kitchen relates to a person health. All the more reason to have things clean, open and beautiful.
• Spring is the Liver time of the year. The liver loves all things green. So eat your greens!

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. 

 

GET MOVING!

                     (Sofie at her first tumbling class)

I know you know this, but here's a reminder: Exercise is good for you! It helps build your energy (Qi), improves circulation, helps you maintain a healthy weight, helps you sleep, and boosts your mood. It helps your internal organs work their best. By lowering bad cholesterol and increasing the good cholesterol, exercise helps keep your blood flowing smoothly. In terms of Chinese medicine, this helps prevent stagnation. When Qi and blood are flowing properly to an area, there will be less risk of injury or disease. 

This is a great time to get outside to run or walk. Here in Philly we have an amazing exercise method called The Lithe Method. My good friend Lauren developed it to really get your body in shape. She also focuses on all things local and seasonal, and is offering free classes in October. So no excuses! Get moving!

END OF SUMMER / BACK TO SCHOOL

It's September, and it's definietly 'Back to School.' As I sit here and reflect on the carefree August we had, I feel a bit sad to let it go and get back to the routine of school, work, and running around from activity to activity. We spent a lot of time at the beach last month, and it really did my family wonders. More sleep, plenty of fresh air, swimming in the oean, sticky ice cream fingers-- these are the things that summer is made of.  But now, with the first smell of Autumn in the air, I am reminded that it's time to get back to work. So with a deep breath I can let go of summer, and welcome the changes that September brings.

SLEEP LIKE A BABY

 

(Sofie, then 2 weeks old, showing off her sleep skills)

I'm always asking my patients about their sleep. How many hours do you get? How rested do you feel in the morning? And sadly, most people just aren't getting enough hours to feel rested.  We all seem to be too busy, too plugged in, too stressed out. 

But this a very big deal! A study from the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine concluded that sleep deprivation can cause symptoms similar to alcohol impairment. And getting less than 6 hours of sleep at night an cause a signficant reduction in coordination, reaction time, and judgement.

So here are a few things that can help you have a longer and more restful slumber:

1. Shut down electronics earlier. The bright lights can keep you stimualted and make it tough to fall asleep.

2. If you're an overthinker, keep a pad of paper by the bed. Use it to jot down notes or ideas that pop into your head. This way you can write it down and revisit the idea the next day.

3. Have a bedtime routine. It's funny to me how we do this for out kids -- a bath, stories, a tuck-in ritual -- but we don't give ourselved the same consideration. Try a cup of tea, a few chapters of a good book, or a snuggle.

4. Listen to your body.  Acknowledge the first yawn, realize that you are indeed tired. 

Sleep is restorative and healing. 8 hours is the ideal number for good health. Make an effort to be nice to yourself and get your darn sleep!  And if you're having a hard time, remember that acupuncture and herbs can help.

BERRY PICKING!

A few days ago we headed to Linvilla Orchards to pick some strawberries.  With a few of Sofie's friends in tow, we drove to the rural area of Delaware County, just outside Media, PA.  The weather was gorgeous, and it felt cathartic to get out of the city. They have a great playground, and picnic tables where you can have lunch.  It's possible that Sofie and her friends ate more strawberries than they picked, but who cares--what a great way to teach a connection to the land, and where our food really comes from. 

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.

BELLY BREATHE

 

This video is a nice reminder for kids and adults -- a good deep breath is an excellent way to get rid of your 'inner monsters'.  Sofie loves this video, and at 21 months old, she already gets that she feels better when she puts her hands on her belly and breathes.  Thanks Sesame Street for the life skills!

SPRING FEVER: SOFIE'S FIRST ACUPUNCTURE

  

Sofie had her first very high fever the other night. She was hot, irritable, and listless. And like most moms, I wanted to make her misery go away quickly. So I decided it was time for her first acupuncture! I only needled one point (Du14, Dazhui, for those who are curious), just a real quick in-and-out with a very small pin. Her reaction was both of surprise (hey ma, what are you doing?!?!) and a few tears. But then about an hour later, the fever broke! She started sweating and was immediately cooler to the touch. It was pretty amazing to witness how quickly a child responds to acupuncture. Since then Sofie is happily on the road to recovery. She's back to being her sweet and sassy self, and is elated to be back at the playground.