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One of my favorite parts of spring is going to the farmers market, getting fresh local produce and cooking delicious in season meals! Below are three recipes I’ll be making for my first outdoor BBQ that are chock full of ingredients that are wonderful to support your liver during the changing of the seasons. And as an added benefit I’ve added several ingredients that will also help those that suffer with springtime allergies!

Roasted Beets in Coconut Oil

Ingredients:
4-5 large beets
1 bunch chopped parsley
2 TB sesame seeds
1 TB coconut oil
2 TB olive or avocado oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets. Take coconut oil and rub in hands to
warm up, rub oil over beets and place in foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap beets completely in foil and place on sheet pan.

Place pan in oven to roast for 1.5 hours. Test beets by placing small knife into the largest beet to confirm they are done. Depending on your oven they may need more or less time.

Meanwhile, make dressing; take olive or avocado oil and whisk in salt, pepper, vinegar, maple syrup, and parsley.

Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, rinse beets to remove skin. Place on cutting board and dice into ½ inch cubes. Place cut beets into bowl and stir in dressing. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Springtime Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries sliced
4 cups fresh spinach
½ cup slivered almonds
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tb avocado oil
1 Tb chopped red onion
1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp. honey

Directions:
Make dressing by whisking vinegar, oil, onion, ginger, honey, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl place spinach, almonds, and strawberries. Toss with dressing and serve.

Hearty crackers

Ingredients:
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pepitas
½ cup chia seeds
½ cup brown rice flour
½ tsp. garlic granules or 1 clove fresh garlic
½ tsp. salt
1 cup water
1 tsp. pure maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place seeds in a food processor, grind into coarse flour. Place seeds into a large bowl and add flour, garlic, and salt in a bowl, stir to combine. Add water and maple syrup and stir to combine. Let sit for 3 or 4 minutes until water is completely absorbed.

Place parchment sheet on baking sheet and take ½ of dough on center of cookie sheet. Flatten to ¼ inch thick into a circle or rectangle. Score dough to size of preferred crackers.

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from oven and gently pull crackers apart and flip. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, remove from oven and cool completely.

I like to serve mine with hummus and olives!

Mindfulness is defined as achieving a mental state of focusing one’s awareness on the present moment. So often in our day to day lives we are continuously bombarded by schedules so busy that they leave us emotionally, mentally, and physically depleted. This type of fatigue can really take its toll on our general well being and make it difficult to practice mindfulness.

As I was thinking of what I would like this blog to be focused on I was reflecting back on my busy week and realizing how I allowed myself to become unnecessarily stressed over things that didn’t warrant a stressful reaction. My body was physically showing me that I was not practicing mindfulness by breaking out in an allergic reaction on my skin. I felt completely depleted by the end of the week. How could I have been more present, cultivated more calm energy around me and allowed myself to be peaceful? I chose to start this week fresh by eliminating what wasn’t serving me or bringing me joy. I chose to practice mindfulness this morning by taking my new puppy for a long walk on a beautiful spring morning. This left me feeling refreshed and eager for the day ahead.

We often think of mindfulness in a meditation practice or yoga practice, but really it comes into play during all of our daily activities. For example, we can practice mindfulness while eating to promote better digestion, when driving to work, (we all know we experience road rage more often than we like to admit), when we’re at work, spending time with our families or friends, and when we’re out spending time in nature. These daily practices of checking in with our awareness can anchor and ground us, helping our souls feel more nourished each day. It will also help to calm our minds, decrease inflammation, and stress which in turn will nourish the adrenals and calm our parasympathetic nervous system.

I hope you can find more ways in your life to cultivate this mindfulness on a daily basis to live a more enriched life.

Morning sickness is common experience for many women during the first trimester of pregnancy, often the thought, smell, or look of certain foods can send you running for the bathroom or waste basket.  Morning sickness for most women will subside by week 12 to 14, but may sometimes last as long as week 17 or in extreme cases throughout the whole pregnancy.  

Acupuncture is very effective at treating morning sickness, even the most severe cases!  By using acupuncture points like Pericardium 6, Kidney 21, or Stomach 44 it will help to relieve nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or cramps, and bloating as well as calm the mind.  Stomach 36, Zusanli, is a very nourishing and tonifying point to harmonize the stomach and spleen and encourage optimal digestion as well as build immunity.  Ginger tea is another great option to use food as medicine to treat nausea and vomiting, helping to alleviate discomfort and descend stomach qi to treat counterflow.  Some women find drinking water with honey, lemon, and apple cider vinegar is also beneficial.

Ear seeds are another effective way for patients to prolong the effect of the acupuncture between treatments by applying these to specific acupuncture points as needed.  It’s important to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need especially during the first trimester, have you also considered bone broth?  This is easily digested, helps to promote healthy digestion and is full of vital nutrients!  Though morning sickness may be a normal part of pregnancy, there are multiple ways to combat this uncomfortable experience so you feel strong and healthy during this wonderful phase of life.  

In both Chinese medicine and Western medicine blood plays a vital role in our health. Blood is both nourishing and moisturizing and requires the vital function of qi to help it circulate throughout the body. Acupuncture can help nourish blood, encourage the circulation of qi and blood and help the body build the quantity and quality of our blood. In Chinese medicine qi and blood share a strong relationship: “Qi is the commander of the blood, and blood is the mother of qi.” Therefore when one is impacted the other will follow.

Did you know the foods we eat play a major role in turning nutrients into blood! A healthy diet includes foods that work directly to nourish and build our blood, and for women this cannot be more important! Due to inadequate diet, emotional stress and overwork our resources are constantly being depleted each day, especially during our monthly cycles. Blood deficiency is one of the most commonly seen pathologies in women from a Chinese medicine point of view. (It’s important to note that according the classics in Chinese medicine, menstrual ‘blood’ is not the same as blood flowing through your entire body.) Symptoms from blood deficiency include scanty periods, late periods, or no periods at all. Other symptoms include dry skin, hair or nails, poor memory, blurry vision, fatigue, headache, loose stools, insomnia, vivid or excessive dreams, anxiety and depression.

In Chinese medicine it is said that to build blood we must nourish both the spleen and the kidneys. The spleen and stomach represent the earth element and work together to transform the food we eat into blood. The kidneys house our essence or jing, which strengthens the bone and marrow to make blood. (Red blood cells are created in the bone marrow.) Interestingly enough, this connection of the kidneys and bone marrow’s ability to make blood was formulated in the Qing dynasty many years before Western medicine was ever introduced in China!

Below is a list of foods that nourish the blood, many of which may already be in your pantry. You will find that eating intentionally to replenish your resources need not involve trips to specialty grocery stores. I am always interested in what else you are learning about your health and well-being. Don’t hesitate to share!

Grains: Barley, corn, oats, rice, sweet rice, wheat, bran
Vegetables: Alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, beetroot, button mushrooms, cabbage, celery, Dandelion leaves, dark leafy greens, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, watercress, wheatgrass
Fruit: Apples, apricots, avocados, dates, figs, grapes, longans, mulberries
Beans: Aduki, black soy beans, kidney beans
Nuts/Seeds: Almonds, black sesame
Fish: Mussels, octopus, oysters, sardines, tuna
Meat: All red meat- especially bone marrow and liver (beef, pork, sheep)
Dairy: Chicken eggs
Herbs/Spices: Nettle, parsley
Condiments: Amasake, molasses
Beverages: Soy milk

Exercise is vital for optimal health and wellness in our lives. It is important to consider how this can change during our life cycle, not only our monthly cycle but also when planning to start your family, while you’re pregnant, during the postpartum phase, and menopause cycles of life. Whether you have just decided to begin trying to conceive, or you are receiving care for infertility, or using reproductive assisted technology to become pregnant appropriate exercise is very important. In this blog we will discuss how Traditional Chinese Medicine views fertility and how to support this process to support your journey to conception.

According to the Huang Di Nei Jing, the ancient Chinese medical text that is the foundation of oriental medicine written over 3,000 years ago, “for conception to occur, there are certain requirements, namely, strong Kidney qi, the arrival of Tian Gui [regular periods], Chong and Ren are open and flourishing, and Yin-Yang connection.” This means that once a woman has a regular and balanced menstrual cycle, sufficient blood, energy, bodily fluids, and a strong constitution she may become pregnant. This balance is deeply affected by the choices we make everyday, this includes the type of exercise we choose to do, the foods we eat, our sleep, mindfulness activities, and stress we experience daily.

What does healthy exercise for promoting fertility look like?

You may have seen specific classes particularly dedicated to pregnant women where you work out, maybe at your gym, yoga studio, or pilates studio. Just as it is important for pregnant women to be cautious of over exerting their bodies, it is just as important for women to consider the intensity of their work out when trying to conceive. Because sufficient qi and blood is required for conception and intense workouts consume yin fluids, qi, and blood, we must adapt the type of exercise we choose to do. For example, running, bikram yoga, cross fit, HIIT workouts to name a few all require a lot of energy and will cause you to sweat excessively and deplete your energy and body fluids. This is just the energy and resources your body needs to become pregnant and to provide for your growing baby.

The best types of exercise when trying to become pregnant include gentle yoga, yin yoga, pilates, walking, and low impact training without allowing your body to become overly fatigued or sweating too much. Limit activity to around 30 minutes a day. Always remember to make sure your doctor has approved your activity if you are receiving fertility care from a licensed practitioner and that the exercise instructor is aware of your goal. This will keep your keep your qi in check, your Chong meridian flowing with blood free from stagnation or obstruction, and your yin and yang in balance.

So enjoy yourself exercising, just do it properly.

A miscarriage takes an emotional, spiritual and physical toll on a woman’s body.  It is a painful and difficult process for everyone who experiences it and because many women feel they are unable to share the heartbreak openly, they experience this difficult process privately, compounding the grief. However, a woman blessed with a strong support system in place, a supportive partner, compassionate family members or closest friends will ultimately fare better.

How does acupuncture support you through the grief process?  Acupuncture can help to ease the emotional pain associated with miscarriage as well as support your reproductive health in future pregnancies.  In Chinese medicine the lungs represent the emotion of grief.  Have you noticed during times of grieving you may have experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath, an asthma attack or even sinus problems? Bowel changes may also show up. The digestive system is impacted because the lung has a strong relationship with the large intestine, representing difficulty ‘letting go’, thus, constipation.  Not only can your acupuncturist support you through this process physically, by supporting the lungs and large intestine (metal element), treating the physical symptom helps to alleviate some of the emotional pain associated with miscarriage.

 
Acupuncture will also work to support your kidneys through their strong relationship with reproductive health to achieve a healthy pregnancy in the future.  Additionally, allowing your body to rest during this time is incredibly important as your body begins to heal after suffering a miscarriage.  Nourishing your body with warm foods and gentle exercise such as qigong or yin yoga are other steps which will allow your menstrual cycle to regulate afterward. This will help make you feel whole again, and know that you can reach out for the help you need.

Optimal nutrition during pregnancy is of the utmost importance for both you and your baby and it can be challenging to wade through all the advice and different opinions out there.  Whether the advice is coming from your OB, midwife, doula, acupuncturist, friends, or even your own mom. At the end of the day, you know yourself best; trust your intuition and educate yourself as well to lead you in the right direction.

Your body is hard at work providing for the baby, who needs specific nutrients for every phase of growth and development. He or she is completely dependent upon you, the expectant mother, to provide every one of them. In fact, the impact of food on fetal development and growth can hardly be overstated. Of all the many choices we are faced with each day, what we choose to put in our mouths is the foundation of health and wellness. So choose a vibrant and colorful diet to give your body what it needs to thrive and function optimally.

Chinese medicine offers a helpful perspective when choosing the right foods to eat. In this tradition, food is categorized by nature, flavor, temperature and its impact on the qi and blood.

There are 5 flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and pungent; some foods contain more than one flavor. Foods can also be hot, cold, warm, or neutral, or the temperature can be modified by cooking, for example steamed veggies are considered more warm than raw.  Flavors even have energetic properties; for example bitter is draining, sour is astringent or drying, pungent is warming, salty is cooling, and sweet can be nourishing or cooling.

I encourage my patients to introduce warming and/or moistening foods during the cooler months because they help to “stoke the digestive fire.” As the weather cools down and we crave comfort foods, our body is telling us to provide it with warmer dishes. It’s a lot of work for your body to digest a cold smoothie in the morning which is a popular breakfast choice. It can often lead to dampness causing loose stools or abdominal pain. I also encourage patients to avoid too many spicy, bitter, or pungent foods, especially in the third trimester as they can stimulate the unwelcome discomfort of heartburn.

May I strongly suggest that you consider an organic diet? Our bodies are bombarded with chemicals hiding around every corner these days, whether it be from pollution, skin care products, or household cleaning products. An organic diet can help alleviate some of these common stressors we encounter daily.

Other key components to healthy eating include:

• Eating a filling breakfast upon waking
• Avoiding large meals at night
• Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day
• Drinking plenty of water to avoid constipation or dehydration.

There are a number of ways that food can be helpful during pregnancy and the postpartum time.  Here are examples of just a few:

Promotion of milk production: Aduki beans or boiled peanuts

Combating morning sickness: Ginger tea

Alleviation of hemorrhoids or constipation: Bananas or honey

My personal favorite to nourish the spleen and stomach: Congee, or rice porridge (see recipe below)

There are many other ways that a Chinese medical perspective on nutrition can help alleviate common pregnancy discomforts and promote vitality and wellness.  In my practice I incorporate food suggestions along with acupuncture and herbal treatments that are tailored for each individual that I work with.

Most importantly, seek balance; that is the essence of Chinese medicine. Eat a variety of whole foods, and not too much of any one thing.  Your pregnancy is a beautiful season of life. Enjoy it!

Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)

This is a warm, comforting, easy-to-digest dish that came be made to suit anyone’s taste.  A traditional combination is to use chicken stock, adding fresh ginger during cooking and scallions and soy sauce when it’s served.  Both vegetables and fruits (dried or fresh) can be added, along with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, or garlic.  Take this basic recipe and run with it!

8 Cups of water or stock/broth

1 Cup long-grain rice
Add both rice and water/stock/broth to a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer and cover partially (lid cocked).  Cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours.  Stir frequently during the last 30 minutes of cooking to avoid sticking.  Finished congee should be the consistency of oatmeal.  It will thicken as it cools.  Some warm water can be added if congee becomes too thick.