Corona Virus and Sugar are Related!

Bet you didn't see that coming....

One of the reasons I am created the 14 Day Sugar Elimination Challenge is because I have realized that from Chinese Medicine perspective DAMPNESS is a huge problem within our general population. This is due to our modern lifestyle of highly processed foods, lack of movement, and climate controlled living. All of these factors contribute to creating dampness in the body... or in western terms gut dysbiosis, poor water metabolism, and proliferation of lipopolysaccharides.

I see dampness in 90%+ of the people who come into the clinic. This is just because of our lifestyle and food supply. Refined sugar is one of the biggest culprits.

So to avoid or remedy the dampness, the sugar needs to go.

Now, on to the Corona virus.

Two of my current mentors, Dr. Andrew Miles and his wife XueLan Qiu as well as their mentor Dr. Jin Zhao, have been following and know the doctors that are on the front line of this epidemic. Dr. Zhao was one of the specialist called in to help diagnose the disease from a Chinese Medicine perspective.

His diagnosis is that root cause is DAMPNESS!

Specifically “湿瘟” Shi Wen (Damp Plague)

Here is a link to the Botanical Biohacking Podcast that just released a few hours ago.
Corona Virus Podcast
I'll talk more about this as information comes in.

Emotions, Dampness, and Aging

Dr. Andrew Miles just posted this on Facebook...

"Chen Wu said: “The seven emotions cause chaos leading to mucus.”

Li Yong Cui said: “Shock, fear, worry and pensiveness lead to mucus.”

Most emotions initially cause qi stagnation of the lung's ability to descend and the liver to ascend leading to dysregulation of water in the spleen and lungs. Dampness creates mucus which is stored in the lungs further blocking water metabolism, creating heat, and further anxiety.

"Strange and difficult diseases come from mucus."

Let me translate this into Western Medicine for you. When your 

• Strong emotions(anger/fear/grief/stress/etc.) can cause dysregulation of gasotransmitters (especially nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide) and elevated cortisol levels-- this is "qi stagnation"

• Which leads to gut and respiratory microbiome dysbiosis

• Which leads to water metabolism dysregulation-- water collects in inapprorate areas and amounts-- this is the "dampness"

• Low grade systemic inflammation/heat begins when pathogens (molds/yeasts/fungus/bacteria/viruses) start populating the areas of water accumulation

• Biofilms are created by the pathogens to protect themselves from the immune system-- this is the "mucus/phlegm"

• Poor systemic circulation -- caused by the "qi stagnation/dampness/phlegm"

• Massive negative feed back loop is created

• Slow decline of health, vitality, and aging begins

So lets use "Molly" as an example.

Molly is a 45 year old mother of 3 school aged children. She is a full time stay at home mom who is creating a home based business sewing hats and selling them on etsy. She has a happy life and relationships, but a lot of things to manage, track, and maintain.
---(normal base line)

Sometimes she gets stressed and overwhelmed, but manages to keep it all together and take good care of her family. Molly's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. She had surgery and chemo and is now cancer free.
---(strong emotions/stress/fear/etc.)

Molly spent lots of extra time/energy/presence to help her mom during that time.

Afterwards she noticed that she was having a hard time falling asleep. She woke feeling unrested and always like she was behind and could not keep up.
---(qi stagnation).

She stopped exercising as often (no time or energy) and started using carbs+fats+sugar to help control her stress levels and soothe her roller coaster emotions.
---(gut dysbiosis-those critters love sugar!)

She started to notice some weight gain, gas, bloating, loser stools, and her menstrual cycle was becoming more irregular with stronger PMS, especially sharp stabbing cramps and larger clots.
---(dampness/qi stagnation/decreased circulation).

She also noticed she was having more knee and low back pain.
--(dampness and decreased circulation)

She also began to have more anxiety and her seasonal cedar fever was much worse.
---(dampness/phlegm/decreased circulation)

She found herself sighing all the time.
---(qi stagnation)

She is taking 3 OTC medications for the allergies and the pain.
--(medications can often make the gut dysbiosis worse).

Each passing month, she has the nagging feeling that she is getting more and more fatigued.-
--(dampness/decreased circulation blocks energy production at the mitochondrial level).

The joy and laughter that she had with her family seems a little less bright and frequent lately.
---(dampness/phlegm can block the mind/spirit)

Molly keeps telling herself that this is just part of the process of "getting older".

She has resigned herself that this is as good as it gets...

But that is not true. Molly can stop and reverse this process. 

Chinese Medicine cracked this code many years ago.

I can help get Molly back on track and I can help you too. 

If you want some help determining where you are in the process and what you can do to break the cycle,

Give me a call.  830 822 6315

Remedy the Dampness: Part 2

Did you try any of the suggestions for clearing dampness that I included in the last post?

I'd love to hear how it went for you. Drop me a line and let me know info@comalspringsacupuncture.com 

In the meantime, I have a few more lifestyle modification ideas that you can implement to eliminate dampness and restore health. 

Avoid all processed food.

This includes refined sugar, processed flours, and seed oils. I know this is a biggy for a lot of us and can be a hard one to stick by. Remember I am not advocating for perfection, only improvement. 

My current favorite informational site on food is this one by Dr. Ted Naiman. I also love this highly useful tool called the Protein to Energy Ratio Calculator.

(This information and strategy is not specifically Traditional Chinese Medicine, but in my experience it is a good starting place to begin shifting dietary habits).

Get first morning sunlight, every day.

Science is beginning to realize the power of sunlight in regulating all metabolic functions in the body. Here is a good Ted X talk on this by Satchin Panda.

Ideally you should get 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure every morning. This helps to reset the circadian rhythm, it helps to regulate hormone production, and it feels really good. Don't stare into the sun, but just be outside and watch the sun come up every day.

Don't wear sunglasses or contacts, but let the light into your eyes naturally. It is even better if you can do this barefoot on the ground. Even if the sky is grey and overcast, you will still get the light signals anyway, so don't skip days.

Sleep. 

Sleep is critical for the body to repair and rebuild. Try to be in bed and asleep before 10 pm. If sleep is something that you struggle with, come talk to me. I can treat insomnia. 

In conjunction with sleep, you must avoid blue light (especially after sunset). Blue light exposure signals the body that it is still noon. That misinformation then dis-regulates all hormonal and metabolic function. 

Here is a quick intro video on blue light at night and sleep.

My final recommendation for now is not free, but I highly recommend the book Enlighten Weight by Andrew Miles and Xuelan Qiu. This is the best "owner's mannual" that I have come across. 
It is easy to read and understand. You will come away with a greater ability to think about what you need to do to help balance the body through diet and exercise.

So what to expect as the dampness begins to clear?

• You should notice an increase in energy.

• Brain fog will decrease and focus and motivation will return.

• You might lose some weight.

• Your digestion will improve.

• You will be more relaxed and sleep better.

This a a lot of information to take in.

The best way to begin is to pick one thing.
Set a habit goal that is so easy you can't fail.
Then every day you build on your success.

Remedy the Dampness Part 1

In the last post, we talked about dampness and how to identify dampness in your body. As promised I'm going to give you some simple things that you can do right now to start clearing the dampness. 

Think of this as reestablishing your internal garden after a big flood. 

You must regulate the water balance by controlling dampness.

The first thing you need to do is MOVE.

Most of us just do not move with the frequency and intensity that our ancestors did. Our bodies are designed for steady and continuous movement (such as walking). Getting enough walking IN will help significantly with getting the dampness OUT. Aim for 10,000 steps every day. You can start slow and gradually build up to the 10K. I use an app on my phone to track my steps. (There are many, many apps - free and paid - available to help you track steps). 

The second thing you can do is ABDOMINAL MASSAGE. 

You read that right. I want you to rub your belly. Dampness originates in the gut. Just as you must circulate your blood through exercise, you must also directly circulate and move the stagnation in the abdomen. This is a small step that will take 10-15 minutes and offer you profound results
. 
Here is a link to a video by Nick Baker. He explains and walks you through basic abdominal massage in the first half of the video. 

The third thing you can do is FOCUSED BREATHING EXERCISES.

A simple Exhale Breath is a great way to start. It goes like this: 

Breath in through your nose... INHALE... then EXHALE out of your mouth with a long, audible breath. Imagine a forced and extended SIGH. That kind of breath helps to regulate gasotransmitters, which in turn help you clear the dampness. You know you've done enough when you start to yawn uncontrollably, you fall asleep, or you are able to do this exercise continuously for 15 minutes.

Here is the advanced version of the Exhale Breath recorded by Kristen Horner Warren. This version is called the "Huff'n'Puff." I usually recommend doing this exercise for 5 days in a row, then use as needed. It also works well for pain, stress, anxiety, and many more conditions.

If you do these three simple things, you will make huge strides toward clearing the dampness. 

As the dampness clears, your symptoms will too.

The best way to begin is to pick one thing.
Set a habit goal that is so easy you can't fail.
Then every day you build on your success.

In the next email, I will send you a few more actions you can take to address the dampness as well as the ways that herbs and acupuncture can fast track the healing. 

Diagnosing Dampness

Simple Signs of Dampness

You've heard me talk about dampness. And you will likely keep hearing me talk about it. That is because dampness is one of the most common issues that Americans face.

So what does dampness look like? How can you tell if you've got it?

I'm going to share with you a few key signs that are easy to see that will indicate dampness in the body.

But first let's put this in context. 

Dampness is the main cause of most of our chronic internal medicine and chronic pain conditions. This is why I will keep bring it up. Dampness is the root of what is reeking havoc on our health. It is so pervasive, I could almost change the name of my clinic to the "Clear Dampness Clinic." 

Dampness is directly caused by our modern diet. Most of us consume the "Standard American Diet (SAD)" that, even in it's healthiest form, often includes an abundance of refined carbohydrates, sugar, and seed oils.

Pair this "SAD" diet with low daily physical activity.

This combo creates a perfect storm where the body's ability to process these foods becomes overwhelmed.

Damp accumulation is the result.

Here are some symptoms to look out for:

• Waist to Height ratio greater than .5

• Fatigue

• Heaviness

• Swelling or Edema

• Dull Ache or Pain

• Lethargy

• Brain Fog

• Oily Skin

• Dark Circles under the Eyes

• No desire to drink Water

Also look at your tongue. If you see these signs it is part of a dampness pattern.

• pale

• swollen

• teeth marks on the sides

• central crack

• thick or thin coating

• white or yellow coating

• visible moisture

(For comparison, a healthy tongue is medium pink, not to fat or thin, and no coat or very slight coat.)

If you suspect dampness in your body, have no fear! There is hope. I have lots of tools and tricks to Conquer the Dampness.  

Next up - I'll share some simple things you can do to help overcome the dampness in your body.

The Best 10 Minutes You Will Spend Today

Botanical Biohacking has wowed us again.

I've been using the Botanical Biohacking herbs in the clinic for the last year and a half. I am constantly amazed at the results they produce not only for my patients but for myself and my family too. These are the highest quality herbs available and come directly from the growers/harvesters in China, through advanced processing and testing, and then straight to Comal Springs Acupuncture.

That is just about as close the source as you can get. 

Andrew and Xue Lan (the founders) just released this gorgeous ebook that explains more about each formula, where the herbs grow, what each formula treats, and some easy lifestyle suggestions that support each formula's function.

This book is especially for you if you are doing foot soaks (in clinic or at home), if you are taking microgard or microgard plus, if you are drinking Xiao Yao San or Wind tea, or if you are curious about any of the above. They also talk about a few upcoming products.. including one that might incorporate chocolate? (We'll let you know as soon as we find out more about that one)

Do yourself a favor. Take 10 minutes and check out this beautiful, informative, and free ebook online here:
https://botanicalbiohacking.com/flipbook

My current favorite product they offer is the Wind tea.  This tea helps to regulate immune function, dissolve biofilms and then kill the hiding pathogens. It also helps regulate bowel function and is great for reducing low grade systemic inflammation.  It also tastes great (which is highly unusual for most Chinese herbal formulas). 

I've been drinking it daily for 2 weeks now and I have had no allergy symptoms at all and I'm usually highly allergic to cedar.

I'll be serving Wind tea in the clinic for the rest of January.
Come on by and have a cup.

Your Gut and Your Skin

I came across this article that talks about the relationship between the gut and the skin.
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/boost-radiance-with-these-inflammation-reducing-tips

From our Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this relationship has been known about for thousands of years. The Lungs and the Large Intestine have a primary relationship and directly manifests in skin conditions. The best way to have health + clear skin is to manage what you eat by eating foods that are not inflammatory. (Think like this: if it came from the store in a box or bag, it causes inflammation)
So here are the three big things plus one that you can also do to support optimal gut flora health, reduce inflammation, and improve your skin.

• Sleep (go to bed early or by 10 pm)

• Breath (daily deep breathing or meditation)

• Move (walk 10,000 steps daily)

• Plus One -- Avoid consuming anything that numbs you out 

All easier said than done.
These are the things I've been consciously working on since March last year.
Still haven't mastered all at the same time, but I really believe these 3 plus 1 will get most people to where they really want to be if done together and consistently.

The Dampness is Real

Let's talk about dampness...

In Chinese Medicine Dampness is considered an excess yin pathogen. This means it has a physical basis and can be seen and felt. It is responsible for that heavy lethargic feeling you get when all you just want to do is sit on the couch and do nothing. Often pain has an underlying “damp” component to it. Meaning that heavy, dull, achy sensation you might sometimes feel. This is fluid/water accumulating in places it doesn't belong. It could be happening at the cellular or the tissue level. Think swelling and edema. Or pain that is worse with damp weather or changes in pressure. The best analogy I've heard is to picture dampness as an internal swamp. And what grows in swamps? Bacteria. Viruses. Molds. Fungus. And many other opportunistic pathogens.

So how does this dampness occur?

It can be caused by an external invasion such as that “cold that penetrates to the bone" or stifling humidity. In most cases it is a result of our modern lifestyle... too much food and not enough movement. The best way to avoid dampness is by avoiding damp causing foods. Think heavy, fried foods, highly refined and processed foods, sugar, dairy, alcohol... you know all those holiday favorites. If you can't completely avoid these foods, then you are completely normal! However, you can use movement and exercise can help the body to utilize the fuel it is getting and drain the swamp. One of the best things to do is to just walk more through out the day. A good goal is to try to get up to 10,000 steps in daily.

So get a jump on the season and increase your movement to avoid accumulating the dampness that occurs during this time of the year.