Winter is the season for recharging our batteries. In Chinese Medicine, these batteries are the organs Kidneys and Bladder, storing energy for the Spring and Summer to come. During treatments we are often checking your pulse to feel your how your kidneys and bladder, gauging how the “battery levels” are doing. 

In Chinese Medicine, the kidneys store vital life energy. They also influence reproduction, brain, bone health fluid secretions and the emotions like anxiety, fear and courage. When the kidneys are overworked we see symptoms such as anxiety, infertility, adrenal or chronic fatigue, low back pain, weak knees, urination issues and others.
Some examples of balanced Kidneys and Bladder is when you:

• Have will-power
• Can manage your stress levels
• Are fertile and have a healthy, balanced sex life
• Get quality, regular sleep
• Have healthy brain function
• Have a strong and stable back and knees

The main causes of Kidneys and Bladder imbalances are stress and overactivity. Other things that tax them are drugs, too much alcohol, poor food quality or eating habits, overwork, too much physical activity, and lack of sleep and relaxation.

With the colder weather and darker nights, winter is the best time to slow down and refrain from too much activity, sleep more, eat more and get to know yourself better to replenish and nourish that vital energy.

In traditional Chinese medicine, autumn is characterized by several things:

• Connected to the metal element
  
• The color white
  
• The lungs and the large intestine
  
• Emotion of grief 

Autumn is the time when leaves fall to the ground, begin to decompose to create a fertile ground and the potential for growth for the spring.

Similarly, the human body naturally wants to pare down, introvert, and begin a season of focused energy. At times there is a shift on the fall equinox when the energy that previously flowed outward in the summer turns inward in preparation for the winter ahead. Even if you aren’t heading back to the office yet, most people experience feeling that change is in the air. We begin to organize our homes, offices, and calendars, and look to the months ahead with a “new year” sense of goals for what's to come.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a therapy for the entire body, mind, and spirit.  Just as psychotherapy helps the mind release tension, acupuncture helps the body release emotions of grief, sadness, and memories as well.

In our practice we use acupuncture, herbs, and dietary therapy to help improve digestion and support the process of letting go. We utilize acupuncture points that have a descending action and improve the circulation of Qi and blood. Similarly, we address the lungs which are so frequently damaged by the dry, crisp air that characterizes autumn and winter.

The Large Intestine

• Magnesium Glycinate or Citrate
• Flax seeds
• Omega 3 fatty oils
• Probiotics
• Warm water and lemon
• Dried fruits
• Oatmeal
• Chia seeds

The Lungs 

• Pears
• Water Chestnuts
• Cauliflower (looks like a tree)
• Lotus root (looks like alveoli)
• Almonds
• Yuca

​With all the gorgeous weather we’ve been experiencing, I hope you're taking a long lunch break and heading outside to enjoy it. 

There’s no magic pill for any ailment, mental or physical (although Xiao Yao San, Zinc, and Mushrooms are pretty close!), so the best you can do during this time (especially during the Fall) is support your body when the seasons are changing and colds and flus begin to pop up. 

The number one way to this is to simply walk for 45 minutes each day. It doesn’t have to be vigorous, and can be broken up into chunks such as 20 mins of strolling on your lunch break and 25 mins after dinner. (The added bonus here is that your digestion will be supported and your blood sugar will stabilize more effectively).

According to David Nieman, Ph.D., “A daily walk helps shake up and spread out your Natural Killer cells – which is the first line of defense for your immune system – making them more vigilant.” He adds, “Don’t push yourself. Exhaustive exercise can actually impair the immune system, so pace yourself to where you can comfortably talk while you walk.”

Exercise significantly increases lymphatic return. Your lymphatic system is responsible for immunity and maintaining fluid balance in the body. It consists of lymphatic vessels & capillaries, and is similar to your circulatory system – except there is no pump to move your lymph fluid the way the heart pumps the blood. You must do it manually through muscular contraction.
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Your lymph carries your body’s natural defenses (such as B cells, T cells, and Natural Killer cells) throughout your system so that they can get to work and clean house. Natural Killer (NK) cells attack and destroy bacteria, transplanted tissue, host cells infected with viruses and cancer cells. Prevention is key! A healthy lymphatic system  is important for overall health whether you have a cold or not.

Walking isn't just good for your immune system - it can also help speed recovery and reduce pain, especially chronic pain.  For starters, building up surrounding muscles through walking helps stabilize  hurting joints and also increases lubrication of the cartilage. "Cartilage doesn't have a blood supply but does have living cells," says Dr. Virginia Byers Kraus, a professor at Duke University's Molecular Physiology Institute. "So the way it gets nutrition is by dynamic motion — putting weight off and on as you walk and move. The fluid inside the joint flows into and out of the cartilage like a sponge, so all the nutrients in the joint fluid get into the cartilage" and help slow any degradation there.

One day while skimming through the LA Times I came across an article that really spoke to me and even today reminds me to get a walk in every day, any way I can 

Dry needling and trigger point therapy has been used for decades in Chinese Medicine and acupuncture but it’s become an increasingly popular drug-free way to treat musculoskeletal pain.
Just like in acupuncture we use thin, dry needles — “dry” in the sense that they don’t inject anything into the body — that are inserted through the skin into the muscle tissue. Our main focus is muscle and connective tissue and trying to restore mobility.

When muscles are overused or strained, they can develop knotted areas called myofascial trigger points that are irritable and cause pain.

An overused muscle undergoes an energy crisis where, because of prolonged or inappropriate contraction, the muscle fibers are no longer getting adequate blood supply.  If it’s not getting that normal blood supply, it’s not getting the oxygen and nutrients that will allow the muscle to go back to its normal resting state.

The tissue near the trigger point becomes more acidic, and the nerves are sensitized, which makes the area sore or painful.

Stimulating a trigger point with a needle helps draw normal blood supply back to flush out the area and release the tension.  When muscles are this tense, even the prick sensation can also fire off nerve fibers that stimulate the brain to release endorphins – the body’s own “homemade pain medication.”
To locate a patient’s trigger points, we palpate, searching for painful, knotty areas and perform orthopedic testing. 

Once a trigger point is located, the we insert a needle through the skin directly into it. At times we might need to move the needle around a bit to try to elicit what’s called a local twitch response, which is a quick spasm of the muscle. This reaction can actually be a good sign that the muscle is reacting.
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Some patients feel improvement and change in their pain and mobility almost immediately after a dry needling session. 

It’s important to continue to keep the affected muscles loose by continuing to move them within their new range of motion after treatment, he adds. There can be some soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward.

Results after 5 sessions

Results after 6 sessions

Results after 4 sessions

The GI MAP stool test is a powerful tool we use to analyze your microbiome, digestive function and inflammation in the gut.  With this incredible stool analysis, we can gain a clear picture of what's going on in your gut and how to balance it.

​Dr. Jennifer Bezjak 

In addition to playing an important part in keeping plants and vegetables healthy, chlorophyll has reported health benefits in humans, too. It is considered a natural source of antioxidants.
There are many benefits to adding liquid Chlorophyll to your water (I do it inthe morning) and I’ll list them out for you:

• Stimulates the Immune System
• Detoxifies Your Blood and Helps Bring Oxygen to Red Blood Cells
• Cleanses the Intestines
• Improve Digestion
• Energizes the Body
• Reduces Inflammation
• It’s Alkalizing 
• Packed with Nutrients and Vitamins
• Improves Liver Detoxification
• Helps Protect Your Skin

I’ve been drinking Chlorophyll water on and off for a couple years now. I encourage you to try it out if it is something that interests you, its a small change you can make to your day that over time can have a lasting impact. 

Chlorophyll is not considered an essential nutrient, so there is no current recommendation on dosing from the FDA.  However, most practitioners recommend 100-200 mg a day.  The darker the green the higher the chlorophyll content. You'll find it in:

• Cereal Grasses – Wheatgrass and barley grass top the chart.  Heavily studied by Charles Schnabel during the 1930’s and 40’s wheatgrass can be listed as one of the healthiest, most bio-available foods for humans. A single ounce serving is said to provide the nutrients of 4 lbs of vegetables.
• Spinach – 1 cup of organic spinach contains about 27 mg of chlorophyll–and yes, studies have shown that eating spinach regularly does help tone and build muscles.
• Kale – One of winter’s hardiest greens.
• Parsley – Yes, you can eat the decorations on your plates.
• Nettles – Warming nettle tea – lovely way to get in the green. 
• Seaweed-
• Other green vegetables – Green bean, peas, asparagus, celery and fiddle ferns – oh, my. If it’s vegetable and green there will be chlorophyll. Add in to your diet leafy green herbs like cilantro and thyme. Don’t forget your flower greens like dandelion and violet greens.

You know that feeling when you buy a red car, you start seeing red cars everywhere.  After meeting this patient and diving deep into her case, I learned even more about the complexities of IC and other pelvic inflammatory disorders.  As that happened, more patients just like her began to contact the office and I began to see how common her story actually was.  I'm to report after 6 months of receiving acupuncture and dry needling alongside natural supplements, the difference in pain levels and her frequency of flare ups has decreased immensely. 

​The bladder is the organ in the human body that stores urine.  When the bladder is full, it signals your brain that it’s time to urinate by communicating through the pelvic nerves. This is what creates the urge to urinate. With interstitial cystitis, there is something confusing the urinary bladder system.  The person feels the need to urinate more often and with smaller volumes of urine than most people.

The signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis vary from person to person. If you have interstitial cystitis, your symptoms may also vary over time, periodically flaring in response to common triggers, such as menstruation, sitting for a long time, stress, exercise and sexual activity.
Interstitial cystitis signs and symptoms may include:

• Pain in your pelvis or perineum (chronic or acute)
• A persistent, urgent need to urinate
• Frequent urination, often of small amounts, throughout the day and night (sometimes up to 60 times a day)
• Pain or discomfort while the bladder fills and relief after urinating.
• Pain during sexual intercourse.

This sounds similar to a urinary tract infection but there is usually no infection. However, symptoms may worsen if a person with interstitial cystitis gets a urinary tract infection.

The exact cause of interstitial cystitis isn’t known, but it’s likely that many factors contribute. For instance, people with interstitial cystitis may also have a defect in the protective lining (epithelium) of the bladder. A leak in the epithelium may allow toxic substances in urine to irritate your bladder wall. Other possible but unproven contributing factors include an autoimmune reaction, heredity, infection or allergy.

These factors are associated with a higher risk of interstitial cystitis:

• Up to 90% of people with IC are women.  Symptoms in men look like interstitial cystitis, but they are usually associated with an inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis).
• Skin and hair color. Having fair skin and red hair has been associated with a greater risk of interstitial cystitis.
• Most people with interstitial cystitis are diagnosed during their 30s or older.
• Existing chronic pain disorder. Interstitial cystitis may be associated with other chronic pain disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia.

Interstitial cystitis can result in a number of complications, including:

• Reduced bladder capacity. Interstitial cystitis can cause stiffening of the bladder wall, which allows your bladder to hold less urine.
• Lower quality of life. Frequent urination and pain may interfere with social activities, work and other activities of daily life.
• Sexual intimacy problems. Frequent urination and pain may strain your personal relationships, and sexual intimacy may suffer.
• Emotional troubles. The chronic pain and interrupted sleep associated with interstitial cystitis may cause emotional stress and can lead to depression.

While there is no real cure for IC in conventional medicine, it symptoms tend to temporarily subside after a period of time.  Conventional treatment is mostly to ease the symptoms and can include physical therapy, NSAIDs, anti-depressants, and certain pharmaceutical products that coat the bladder epithelium to help with inflammation.  Surgery is usually not an option.

​According to Chinese medicine, not all people who develop IC get the condition from the same root causes.  Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine work by correcting imbalances in the body and reset the body to bring it back to health. I like to think of this as hitting the reset button. For the treatment of Interstitial Cystitis, acupuncture can reduce the pain, frequency and discomfort of urination, along with the stress that can come with it.
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Common imbalances for Interstitial Cystitis include qi weakness, qi stagnation (lack of circulation of qi), and heat. It is not uncommon for people to suffer from more than one of these imbalances and it is important to locate which imbalance is particular to your situation so as to better guide the course of treatment. This is why it is important during the initial visit, to take an in-depth history of your symptoms to get a clear picture of what you are experiencing.

Imbalances will correlate with specific symptoms. For example, people with qi weakness, or lack of energy, are often tired and have digestive problems. Those with qi weakness may experience frequent urination, urination at night, and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen. Qi stagnation is a lack of circulation of the energy and can cause pain, bloating, and muscle spasms. Heat in the body can cause dryness, burning urination, abnormal sweating, stiff joints, and headaches.

Other relevant symptoms when designing a specific and effective course of treatment for IC are muscle tightness in the pelvis, back, abdomen, and legs. This is where Dry Needling can be so effective. Trigger points in the gluteus maximus and medius, adductor magnus, and illopsoas, are taken into account because they can produce pain in the pelvic floor. Another common symptom of IC is sacro-iliac joint dysfunction, which can also be an important factor in treatment.

In Chinese Medicine, the element associated with the spring is wood.  Wood is known for its strength and flexibility, and is linked with the color green. The wood element represents growth and vibrancy. Think of new plants pushing up through the earth and baby sprouts in the garden. The opposing energy to the wood element is strident and forceful. If this energy is unbalanced in humans, frustration and anger may arise. However, if the energy is channeled properly, it is associated with benevolence and helping others. The wood element is linked to the wind (notice how windy its been in SF lately!) - reflecting the movement and change of the spring and the ability to burst through and overcome obstacles.

Remember that in every season food is medicine.
Eating fresh and in season produce at your local farmers market is ideal, with an emphasis on leafy greens, lettuces, sprouts, and live vital foods. These foods are associated with freshening, cleansing, and building the body. Eating more green foods increases the intake of chlorophyll into our systems and our blood. This is extremely beneficial in oxygenating and purifying our blood which reduces systemic inflammation. This can be accomplished by taking a supplement or simply by eating more green foods. 
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So let's celebrate this beautiful spring by embracing the wood element and its values! Here are some ideas for the transition:

• *Let Go! Leave behind resentment or frustrations and make a plan to start anew.
• *Make some noise! Anger is the emotion of the unbalanced wood element; when channeled properly, it can be a force for change and transformation.
• *Grow! Plant some seeds or starts to feel connected to nature's cycles. 
• *Choose! Make a plan and begin it. The wood element has strong creative energy so paths chosen at this time are more likely to manifest.
• *Cleanse! Make some dietary changes to support your liver and gallbladder, the wood element's organs. Add more leafy greens and drink more liquids to detoxify. 
• *Heal! Acupuncture treatments are a great way of moving stagnation both physically and emotionally. 

​It also means that partially broken down food isn't making it to your large intestine where they are feeding up dysbiotic (bad) bacteria.  If you are having gut issues, a good quality enzyme is really important, and you probably need it. The enzyme I like the best also has a few probiotics, which help acidify your large intestine. Take with every meal. 

The second product that I really like, and in a perfect world I would start all my patients on for a month before treatment is curcumin. It is a potent anti inflammatory- in the gut or otherwise. In Chinese Medicine we use curcumin for pain, abdominal pain, menstrual pain, and shoulder pain. Our product from Designs for Health is bioavailable and really effective.