Enhance Your Emotional Wellness with Oriental Medicine

The upcoming holiday season (yes, it all begins around Halloween) can be filled with a dizzying array of demands, visitors, travel and frantic shopping trips. For many people, it is also a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.

Compound the usual seasonal pressures with economic strain, and you may find this to be one of the most emotionally trying times of the year.

At some point in life, everyone deals with major upheavals or emotional distress. These events can trigger a host of unexpected feelings and behaviors, from depression and panic attacks to major disruptions in sleep and eating.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can alleviate symptoms associated with mental and emotional health issues by treating the root cause of the problem to help restore balance to the body's internal environment.

Mental health disorders are medical conditions that can disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to cope with the daily demands of life or relate well to others.

Affecting people of any age, race, religion, or income, mental health issues are more common than you might think.

In fact, experts estimate that a significant number of people report symptoms that indicate sufficient qualifying criteria of a mental disorder. Some mental disorders are less severe and can be easily managed with proper treatment.

Mental illnesses that are more serious and require more extensive treatment includes

✾ major depression
✾ schizophrenia
✾ bipolar disorder
✾ obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
✾ panic disorder
✾ post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
✾ borderline personality disorder.

From an Oriental medicine perspective

Mental health disorders can cause a disruption in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, through the body.

These energetic imbalances can throw off the immune system causing

✾ pain
✾sleep disturbances
✾abnormal digestion
✾headaches
✾menstrual irregularities
✾ over time, more serious illnesses

Acupuncture treatments can correct these imbalances and directly affect the way your body manages your mental health.

Oriental medicine does not recognize any mental disorder as one particular syndrome. Instead, it aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual, using a variety of techniques including acupuncture, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and exercises to restore imbalances found in the body.

Therefore, if 100 patients are treated with acupuncture and Oriental medicine for anxiety, each of those 100 people will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points, and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

Mental health issues are best managed when health professionals work together to meet the unique needs of each individual. Acupuncture is an excellent addition to any treatment plan as it is used to help the body restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while also diminishing symptoms.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners have the ability to detect energetic changes that occur in the body and relieve symptoms by restoring equilibrium.

The physical and emotional symptoms that you are experiencing will help create a clear picture for your practitioner, from which a treatment plan can be created specifically for you.

For more information, please visit: www.moveyourqi.com

What is EMERGE and What Are Comfort Foods That Are Healthy For You?

Recently I was part of an immune conditioning program called EMERGE, that focused on improving our immune vitality through four key areas: Activity, Mindfulness, Recovery, and Nutrition.

The Activity portions of this program featured on-demand workouts from some of the leading boutique fitness companies like AKT, CycleBar, Row House, and treadmill workouts from STRIDE.

Mindfulness activities centered around breathing and meditation exercises, with some restorative yoga sessions and mat Pilates routines from YogaSix and Club Pilates.

Recovery was all about pre and post workout exercises that keep our bodies limber and strong. Barre exercises from Pure Barre and guided stretches from StretchLab really guide the recovery program.

Nutrition was where I stepped in! Each week I provided helpful and actionable nutrition videos all geared toward building holistic immune health. One of my videos was all about comfort foods, and how we can maintain healthy options when the stress of life makes us want to dive into the carbs and ice cream!

If you'd like to check out one of my nutrition videos included in the EMERGE program that shines light on comfort foods that are actually good for you, then click on the link below......and if you love the information you see here, subscribe to Dr. Nancy Lin's YouTube Channel!

Peace of Mind: Raising Serotonin Levels

Want to raise your "feel good" levels in your mind and body? Of course you do! Keep reading to see just how easy it is to start and what types of foods can naturally help create smiles on that beautiful face of yours!

Serotonin

is a brain chemical responsible for regulating many of the functions in your body that contribute to your overall health and well being happiness, and feeling of fulfillment. People who have a lot of stress or suffer from different types of anxiety disorders generally do not have enough of it.

Tryptophan

is an amino acid that leaves people feeling relaxed and elevates moods in people. It is also a hormone found in foods that serve as a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body regulate appetite, sleep patterns, and mood.

Because of its ability to raise serotonin levels, tryptophan has been used therapeutically in the treatment of a variety of conditions, most notably insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Top foods where Tryptophan is Found:

1. Soup

Soup is the best food you can take to relax.

Chicken stock is the best option since it makes your body get rid of many infections and other foreign bodies. You can also add vegetables like tomatoes, green chili, spring onion, capsicum and garlic for a calming effect on your nervous system.

Prefer hot soups over colder ones and those having thin consistency rather than thick pasty ones.

2. Milk

Milk is another beverage that can help you relax, the reason behind taking it at bed-time.

If you need a quick calming effect, reach out for a glass of warm milk (hormone free and organic, of course!) Warm milk is known to contain tryptophan –a compound which helps in the production of serotonin (around 43%).

Serotonin is known to induce a feeling of pleasure along with helping in sleep. You can always take in cold milk during the day to avoid drowsiness for cold milk is still rich in calcium which also induces calmness.

All milk products including ice cream have the same effect but they must be low in sugar content.

3. Free Range or Cage Free Eggs

Just like milk, eggs are a source of amino acids packed with tryptophan which is a relaxing brain chemical.

Make sure you include eggs in your diet either in breakfast or as a snack (try a boiled egg).

4. Organic Cheese

Cheese being classified as a protein source has the same calming effect on your brain as of milk or eggs.Choose cheese types which are high in protein (contains tryptophan ) like Cottage, Cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, and Ricotta varieties.

Next time you’re making a sandwich, don’t forget to layer some shredded cheese in it.

5. Raw Honey

Raw honey in its natural non-additive form is high in tryptophan to relax the body.

Along with tryptophan, the potassium in honey has a soothing effect on the brain and nerves. Potassium works against excessive acids and stress hormones to relax our nervous system.

Research has also shown that glucose in honey interferes with orexin (a neurotransmitter) which helps in keeping you alert. So, make sure you add a spoonful of honey to your cereals, milk, or as a spread in your grain free or sprouted sandwich! (The above picture is of honey that is clarified and processed, not raw. Raw honey is cloudy and opaque).

6. Brown Rice

Being a complex carbohydrate, brown rice simulates the release of insulin, which helps sleep-inducing amino acids enter the brain and produce sleep-inducing substances such as serotonin and melatonin.

Same is the function of all other complex carb foods like unrefined grains including oats and wheat, wholegrain pasta, and legumes. The result is a sound sleep, or at least you start feeling relaxed and calm.

7. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts are rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin B-complex that help relax the brain when taken in large quantities.

❧ Peanuts and pumpkin seeds

are rich in magnesium but peanuts also have high sodium content which is why they are not good for your health when taken in large amount.

Peanut butter is a good alternative which contains both magnesium and vitamin B6.

Deficiency of magnesium leads to mental retardation while deficiency of selenium has been linked to increased depression and anxiety.

❧ Brazil nuts

are rich in selenium in zinc, and just a handful is enough to fulfill your RDA intake.

❧ Almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds

are rich in tryptophan which helps in producing serotonin. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E which helps rebuild the cellular damage caused by stress and anxiety.

❧ Walnuts

are also rich in magnesium, vitamin B and zinc –all the essential relaxing ingredients. So make sure to keep a blend of these nuts at hand.

8. Wild Caught or Sustainable Seafood

Seafood is rich in magnesium, zinc and selenium, and has the same effect on our nervous system as of nuts and seeds include tryptophan naturally.

❧ Halibut

is high in magnesium.

❧ Tuna, cod, salmon, shrimps and lobsters

are high in selenium content, though not nearly half as much as nuts.

Tuna and salmon are known to fight stress hormones in our body.

Omega-3 (a fatty acid) is also known to fight stress and help you relax since it triggers brain to produce calming hormones.

❧ Salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna, and sardines

are rich in the omega-3 compound. You can also take in omega-3 through capsules in the form of cod liver oil if seafood is not available.

9. 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate just like other foods is rich in tryptophan, which helps manufacture serotonin, the relaxing compound. It is also known to boost the endorphin and dopamine (amino acids) levels in the brain that result in an enhanced mood.

Research has proven that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily can lower the level of stress hormones in your body. So eat your chocolates but beware they are low in sugar content and high in cocoa content (around 30:70 ratio).

10. Organic Vegetables

Some vegetables high in magnesium have a relaxing effect on the body like other magnesium-rich foods.

❧ Spinach

has very high magnesium content and it’s also a good source of vitamin C (another relaxing agent). To keep yourself stress-free, take a cup of fresh spinach leaves or half a cup of cooked spinach.

❧ Broccoli

also helps you relax for it is high in potassium and vitamin C, so don’t forget to include it into your salads.

❧ Mint leaves

is another vegetable/herb which due to its high magnesium content relaxes the brain and helps you more focused. It also reduces the stress associated with muscle cramps and intestinal gas.

So keep a fresh peppermint juice or fresh mint leaves at hand to pop into your mouth during work.

11. Organic Teas

Tea has been used as a relaxant for a long time throughout the world. You can choose either from black, green, or other herbal teas to relax.

❧ Black or green tea leaves

are rich in L-theanine (an amino acid) which contains two sedative flavonoids: apigenin and chrysin. Other herbal teas known to reduce stress and anxiety include basil, lemon balm, valerian and chamomile.

❧ Chamomile tea

has been proven to reduce anxiety and panic in people suffering from a generalized panic disorder, but may not be good for pregnant women.

12. Organic Fruits

Fruits rich in vitamin C are the most relaxing among others for vitamin C in fruits helps in converting tryptophan into serotonin.

Study has shown that an intake of 1,000 mg vitamin C lowers levels of stress hormones in body. So, next time you need to relax, take a bowl full of fruits!

The list of such fruits is quite long:

❧ strawberries
❧ kiwi fruit
❧ dried dates
❧ figs
❧ papaya
❧ cherries
❧ oranges
❧ guava
❧ mangoes
❧ pineapple
❧ berries
❧ grapefruit
❧ bananas

Essential Oils that may elevate serotonin levels:

✪ Valerian Root
✪ Lemon
✪ Lavender
✪ Bergamot
✪ Rosemary
✪ Rose/Jasmine
✪ Melissa
✪ Peppermint
✪ Oregano

Remember:

High-tryptophan foods may:
✩ Help regulate your appetite
✩ Help you sleep better
✩ Elevate your mood

Resources: the conscious life.com, livestrong.com, active.com, Calmclinic.com

Breathe Deep and Let Go of Stress

When you think about your breath as being your link to life, it takes on a whole new meaning. In our fast-paced lives, most of us forget to breathe fully as everything occupies our minds, except for breathing.  We are often so caught up in meeting the needs of our family, work, etc., that we fail to nurture ourselves.

When my daughter was born I noticed how every single part of her body moved with her breath. It reminded me that deep breathing is as natural to us as it is a child, and it fades away as we get older unless we pay it some attention.

When our body identifies stress, it begins to produce stress hormones, which increases our respiration levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. How often during the day do you catch yourself holding your breath, clenching your jaw, or grinding your teeth at night while you sleep?

When people hold tension in their bodies, there is a natural tendency to only breathe from the chest (also known as shallow breathing). Every time we are faced with a stressful situation, these are the very times we need to be able to automatically incorporate breathing techniques, even if it's only for a few seconds.

Luckily, we can respond to that stress and alleviate the body's response simply by breathing deep.

Deep breathing is a must for the detoxifying of the body, the continuation of life, and it feels so good.

The simple act of breathing in itself is so important for many of our bodily functions. When we breathe in deeply, we cleanse our body with fresh oxygenated blood. Holding our breath or shallow breathing can hurt this perfect ability of our bodies to produce fresh oxygenated blood.

This can cause a number of problems including improper digestion, exhaustion, and anxiety within the body eventually leading to overall poor health and a lack of coping ability.

❖ You can start to get more in touch with your breathing by simply lying down wherever you're comfortable; the floor, a bed, a couch, wherever- just make sure you will not be interrupted.

❖ Relax your legs, arms, and entire body.  Close your eyes. Relax your facial muscles, your tongue and the space between your eyebrows.

❖ Take in a deep breath through your nose. When you inhale, your lungs and your body's midsection should move as one. As you breathe out, it should feel as if your stomach is releasing the air you've just taken in.

❖ Now place one of your hands on your belly and one on your chest cavity. Breathe deeply through your nose into your belly area to move your hand up as much as you are able.

❖ The hand on your chest should just barely move, and it should only move when the hand on your midsection does.

❖You should keep going with this process until it becomes as natural as possible.

Now as you are doing this, try smiling as you take air in through your nose, and as you exhale, the breath should make a gentle noise, as the wind might make in the trees on a breezy day. Sense what you are feeling. When you first start this exercise, do it for five minutes. Try to work your way up to twenty minutes. Once you've finished, spend a few minutes without moving to allow your body to simply exist for a few moments.

Stress - What it Does to Your Body

Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

Stress is a normal part of life. Many events that happen to you and around you —and many things that you do yourself—put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.

Stress also becomes harmful when people use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to try and relieve their stress. Unfortunately, instead of relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems.

Consider the following:

✦ 43 % of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
✦ 75% to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
✦ Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
✦ The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace.
✦ Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.
✦ The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.
✦ Your body is hard-wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against threats from predators and other aggressors. Such threats are rare today, but that doesn't mean that life is free from stress.

On the contrary, you undoubtedly face multiple demands each day, such as shouldering a huge workload, making ends meet, taking care of your family, or just making it through the morning rush hour. Your body treats these so-called minor hassles as threats. As a result, you may feel as if you're constantly under assault but remember: you do not have to let stress control your life.

Understanding the natural stress response

If your mind and body are constantly on edge because of excessive stress in your life, you may face serious health problems. That's because your body's "fight-or-flight reaction" — its natural alarm system — is constantly on.

When you encounter perceived threats — a large dog barks at you during your morning walk, for instance — your hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.

Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This complex natural alarm system also communicates with regions of your brain that control mood, motivation and fear.

Stress Overload

The body's stress-response system is usually self-regulating. It decreases hormone levels and enables your body to return to normal once a perceived threat has passed. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels and other systems resume their regular activities.

But when the stressors of your life are always present, leaving you constantly feeling stressed, tense, nervous or on edge, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on. The less control you have over potentially stress-inducing events and the more uncertainty they create, the more likely you are to feel stressed. Even the typical day-to-day demands of living can contribute to your body's stress response.

The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body's processes.

This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including:

⚠ Heart disease
⚠ Sleep problems
⚠ Digestive problems
⚠ Depression
⚠ Obesity
⚠ Memory impairment
⚠ Worsening of skin conditions, such as eczema
⚠ Lower gastrointestinal functions
⚠ Lower immune reaction -> higher risk for infections
⚠ Lower sexual functions

Sources: MayoClinic, WebMD, WomensHealth.com

Tips for a Restful Night

Tips for a Better Restful Night

by Anna Dolopo and Dr. Nancy Lin

Sound sleep is the foundation of good health. Most people need 6-8 hours of sleep every night to recharge their batteries.

Practicing good sleep hygiene and keeping the body in sync with the rhythm of day and night can help the body cope with sleep deprivation and give it an opportunity to boost the immune system, get stronger and heal.

By implementing just a few of these suggestions, you should notice a great improvement in your sleep and how you function during daylight hours.

✾ Ambiance

Make your bedroom a sanctuary. Only sleep and make love in this sacred space. Do not work, as your brain will associate this room to productivity.

Keep it dark, cool, and quiet. Angle the clock faces away from the bed. If you get up to use the bathroom during the night, don’t turn on the light; use a nightlight to safely guide you.

The optimal temperature for sleep is 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

✾ When Hungry, avoid heavy meals, sugary or high grain snacks 2 hours before bed.

They will raise your blood sugar and make it difficult to fall asleep. Reduce nicotine, caffeine and alcohol use.

If you are hungry, eat a high protein snack a couple of hours before going to bed. Try probiotic yogurt, a banana with almond butter, a few egg whites with hummus or a few slices of turkey.

✾ Reduce Late Night Activity

Stop working at least an hour before you plan to go to bed. Let your mind relax. Limit television and computer use in the evening. Use blue light blocking glasses if you are on any electronic devices and no heavy drama Netflix series or news before slumbering, You can even try simple meditation practices before you lay your head down to rest.

✾ If you want to read in bed, avoid back lit devices as the light stimulates the brain.

Read a book or use a device that requires you to use a separate, soft light source.

✾ Bedtime Routine

Establish a relaxing routine as you prepare for bed. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This will help to strengthen and establish your circadian rhythm.

✾ Relax by taking a hot shower, practicing meditation, or try progressive muscle relaxation, starting at your toes and working up to the top of the head.

It is important to leave the day’s worries behind. Do not over-think your day while you lie in bed. Take a deep breath, clear your mind, and drift into a state of restful sleep.

Gain Mental Clarity and Melt Away Stress

Our brains are like amazing, super powerful computers. Think of each of our brains (computer) as having a certain amount of RAM which determines its processing capacity. The more applications the “computer” is running, the more RAM is used and the slower the computer gets.

This RAM is used for all kinds of brain work, from thinking, recalling, analyzing, to the subconscious actions. The key goal for mental clarity is to have as much free RAM as possible to function at the top capacity of your brain.

We know that not all our potential RAM is available when we want them. At least half is occupied with mental clutter—thoughts running in the background such as of things we have to do, regret doing, like to do and anxiety over things we have not thought of doing yet.

The majority of the clutter and noise in our heads is triggered by the infinite external stimuli all around us. From the second people wake up in the morning, to when they sleep for the night, we are all exposed to stimuli from the environment.

Especially with all the technological gadgets and screens that funnel information and “noise”, the more active contact people have with the world, the more stimuli they are exposed to.

From your workplace to the home, mass media, intentional marketing and man-made expressions of diversity are perverse. Even if you live like a monk or hermit, you will still be faced with your own set of external stimuli.

Just like eating healthy and nurturing our body with exercise and body movement, it is very important to observe and care for our mental activity, through introspection, journaling, or meditation (to name a few).

Think of mind clutter as the unimportant programs and applications running in your computer. You don’t need them for your computer to function.

By virtue of them running in the background, they slow down the computer and use precious resources. When we do not address the clutter, we risk jamming the computer altogether and a possible “crash” in the system when we reach a point of non-adaptability.  

Speaking of meditation, scientifically speaking, a specific type of transcendental or Vedic mediation has proven to clear mental clutter and absolve the body’s stored stress and noise in the head.

Please see other articles on meditation on this site for more in-depth explanations. It is proven: people who meditate, feel calmer and experience clearer states of minds.

Meditation is one of the most powerful ways of clearing the body of stress and turns the biological clock back years! Think of it as a natural and almost effortless anti-aging form of mind and body therapy.

However, sometimes people do not know how to properly meditate or push against mind clearing and distressing via transcendental meditation. Have a heart. There are other ways to clean up the mind clutter!

Journaling or brain dumping is a great way to release stored stresses and clear the mind.

1. Pick a medium of writing

Either pen/paper or a for the modern tech person, your favorite electronic gadget (computer, tablet, iPhone, or the like).

My pick is my daily journal that looks like a calendar but has a bigger everyday space to jot down important extra notes.

Call me old-fashioned, but I still like using cursive when I get a chance. Plus, when I review the year or previous years, I can remember the events in my life, how I felt during them and notice any patterns that can help me change undesirable behaviors.

2. If you do choose to write in a traditional journal, blog or type

Simply let your emotions and feelings flow onto paper. Write whatever is on your mind onto the paper. No need to be formal or overthink it.

3. 10 to 15 minutes, or however long it takes for your mind to feel clearer is all that is needed.

Using writing to clear the clutter in our mind is an effective way of processing clutter, even more than sleep. With this exercise, it is the speed you write which determines how fast it gets processed. If you type fast, you can process a lot of clutter really quickly.

Another way to clear mental clutter and distress is by using a special breathing technique called diaphragmatic breathing to calm the mind, relax the physical body. It will also help you to feel mentally alert.

1.       Begin to breathe slowly and deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth in a steady circular rhythm.

If you can, close your eyes, but this is not essential. Think of nothing but your breathing. Focus on drawing the pure air into your lungs and breathing away any stale air.

2.       Push the stomach out so that it expands with your in-breath (inhalation).

Then, as you exhale, the stomach goes in and the chest slightly expands. Practice this breathing cycle for a while until it comes naturally.

3.       Once you have mastered the practice of diaphragmatic breathing, you can add on the following to the technique.

Continue with the diaphragmatic breathing and make each in-breath last as long as possible so that you fill all of your lungs. Then, when the lungs are full, at the top of your breath hold it for three seconds. One, two, three.

4.       Exhale very slowly and count to five as you do so.

Continue with this pattern keeping your breathing slow and steady. You will soon begin to feel physically relaxed and mentally calm.

Start any of these exercises and you will see the difference almost immediately.