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Breathwork - Supporting the Lungs

10/15/2017

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Since breathing is the job your lungs do for you, give them a little break and don’t make them do all the work. Once you have developed an awareness of your breath and how you are breathing, you can begin to develop control.  A common problem that many people have is a dependence on the “accessory muscles” or muscles of the neck and shoulders to breathe.  This type of breathing increases neck and shoulder tension, reduces the amount of oxygen obtained with each breath and further perpetuates feelings of stress. 
Use your diaphragm to help descend the lungs. Breathe slowly and deep into the belly. Bring your awareness to the area below the lungs rather than at the lungs. This will deepen your breathing and kindly nudge the diaphragm to take on some of the work.

Here’s how to make more of the over 20,00 breaths you take every day more relaxed and harmonic while reducing breaths that are stressed or tense:

1. Breathe through the nose
2. Breathe with the diaphragm
3. Breathe relaxed
4. Breathe rhythmically
5. Breathe silently
A Side Note About The Benefits Of Qi Gong 
QiGong is a way of cultivating internal energy. There are many forms of qigong that can focus on a wide range of health concerns. Here are a couple of short qigong exercises meant to strengthen the energy of the lungs.

Tapping at Lung 1 acupoint: Find the little triangle beneath the collarbone where it meets the shoulder. From that point, jump your fingers down about an inch or two into the muscle belly of the pectoralis muscle. This is Lung 1. Use your fingers to tap this point for about a minute to stimulate lung energy. Notice how your breathing feels after.

Massaging the sides of the nose: Using the base of both thumbs, massage up and down along the sides of the nose. The lungs open up to the nose, so by massaging this area, you are accessing and stimulating lung energy. Do this for about a minute. Notice how your breathing feels after.
Getting started on supporting lung health now will actually help you in the Fall. Fall is the time of year that can be most taxing on the lungs, according to Chinese Medicine. Getting your lungs in good shape for the Fall so that not only will you be able to breathe well; you will also be in a better position to fight off the colds that come with the change of the season.
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Quick Tips To Support Yourself During The Napa and Sonoma Fires

10/15/2017

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​Many of us are facing the first hand devastation of the current fires in Northern California.  As the Bay Area far and wide is impacted by the heavy, smokey air, we wanted to make a few suggestions to help keep you healthy and safe.
  • Air quality should stabilize around wednesday but until then before leaving the house - check the ever shifting air quality at airnow.gov
  • Wear a mask when outside for extended periods.  Although a N95 respirator is ideal, some prevention is better than nothing.
  • Use a Neti pot if you have one.  Clearing the build up out of your sinuses daily can help immensely.
  • Eating pears can calm a scratchy throat and dry cough, especially when boiled or sautéed with honey.
  • Take extra immune support as your body is recognizing the stressors present.  Things like a lingering cough, sinus congestion, and dry, red or watery eyes are examples of ways our immune system lets us know its under stress and trying to rid our body of the junk we're being exposed to. (If you need input here please email us directly)
  • Remain indoors. Yeah, you won’t hear me say that very often but especially if there is a preexisting vulnerability, it can be very important to avoid unnecessary exposure to more smoke. There is likely still some amount of particulate matter in the air, but it certainly seems lessened.
  • Don’t increase particulate matter in the air – This includes not lighting candles, woodstoves, fireplaces, cooking food at high temperatures on the stovetop and not vacuuming. All of these activities either increase or create particulate density and circulation in the air.
  • HEPA filters or even air conditioners with filters and recirculating air can help cut down on particulate matter in the air indoors. Do NOT use an air conditioner or swamp cooler if it doesn’t have air filters or it will only suck in smoke and make breathing conditions worse.
  • Avoid unnecessarily exerting yourself. Heavy breathing means you’re going to suck in more smoke. Avoid it if possible.
  • Be especially conscious of breathing conditions for children and pregnant women.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink detoxifying and cooling teas like dandelion or mint are especially helpful.
  • If your system tends towards asthma, respiratory conditions, or you have a chronic health issue or weakened immune system please be extra careful
  • There is not one person in the bay area that has not been affected by this fire.  Reach out to all those in your communities that need extra support as well.  KQED has put together a great list of ways to help.

Cupping and acupuncture can be very helpful. We've gotten busy at the office since the fires, we are doing our best to accommodate everyone.  If you've been affected by the fires either physically or emotionally, please don't hesitate to reach out so we can find a time that works for you! 
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3 Herbs To Support Lung Health

10/15/2017

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Its been 1 week since the start of the fires in Napa and Sonoma and while there has been some containment, a majority of the fires are still burning.  

Those with asthma and other lung conditions that are especially sensitive to particulates in the air, and may be affected by the fires even long after we stop smelling the smoke. Here are three herbs to help protect your lungs.
 
We've stocked upon several formulas that we can customize to get you through this fire and fall season. 
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Photo courtesy of Dr Shen Clinic
Gan Cao (licorice root)
How do I love you Gan Cao? I can't even count the ways.  This herbs is in a majority of all chinese herbal formulas and does  a great job at balancing them out. 
In regards to smoke exposure, Gan Cao clears heat toxin and relieves sore or scratchy throat. Licorice can be decocted raw, or dry-fried in honey and then decocted into a tea. 

Quick to note, this herb does speed up heart rate, and should not be taken by anyone with a heart condition, unless under care of a trained provider.

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Photo by tcmwiki
Bai He  (Lily Bulb)
Bai He is the
 fleshy bud scale of the perennial herbaceous plant Lilium brownii. Picked in the Fall season, it  is commonly used when a dry, hacking, cough is present.  Bai He nourishes the yin fluids of the lungs, and has the added benefit of calming the heart to support those recovering from this traumatic fire. Lily bulb can be brewed as a tea, or cooked in soup and consumed.

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Photo by NaturalHealth365
Sang Ye  (Mulberry Leaf)
Sang Ye's health benefits are attributed to its naturally occurring compound, 1-deoxynojirimycin, or DNJ. DNJ is responsible for mulberry's antidiabetic effects, which have been studied extensively. Mulberry leaf tea also has powerful antioxidant properties and has been found to lower cholesterol and triglycerides and reduce inflammation

Sang Ye cools and moistens the lungs, which balances the hot and drying effect of smoke exposure. Mulberry leaf also cools and clears the eyes. The bark of the Mulberry tree, Sang Bai Pi, is colder in nature and works on a deeper level to calm wheezing and cough for individuals with asthma. Both can be brewed as a tea. 
Don't hesitate to contact us with your specific questions on formulas that would benefit you during this time. 
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  • Specialties
    • Acupuncture
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    • Pelvic Floor Pain
    • Digestive Health
    • Micro-Needling Cosmetic Acupuncture
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    • Emotional Health and General Health
  • New to SFIM
    • ** BOOK NOW **
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  • ** BOOK NOW **
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