Health WellNews

Summer brings with it a variety of vegetables and fruits that aren’t available during the rest of the year. Two of the most abundant ingredients are tomatoes and zucchini. Here’s a great recipe that combines both for a dish you can make at home or share at a summer BBQ. This zucchini and tomato bake only takes minutes to prep and can help you use those vegetables before they spoil.

The ingredient list is simple:

• 3 medium zucchinis, chopped
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved – If you want to really be fancy, use the multi-colored tomatoes
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil for a final drizzle
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons of basil, torn for garnish

And putting this dish together is quick and simple. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the chopped zucchini, halved tomatoes, garlic, olive oil drizzle, salt and pepper to taste and mix everything until it is well combined. Pour vegetables in a small baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 35 minutes until golden brown and delicious! Add the basil garnish and serve. 

Don’t let summer pass without making this dish that combines two of summer’s greatest culinary gifts. 

Many people have issues “turning off their brain” to go to sleep or even just to relax. And for others this inability to “quiet the mind” can bring its own set of stress and anxiety. It might seem like an impossible task for some, but the steps to begin a regular meditation habit are simple and easy to attain. 

Even mainstream medical practitioners recognize the positive impact of meditation, a type of mind-body medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years. It doesn’t have to be complicated to get started. It’s as simple as finding a quiet room, a comfortable position, focused attention, and an open attitude. And one of the best tips might not be something you have even considered before: don’t try so hard.

There are many helpful apps, programs, and websites that can help you begin but the main thing you want to do is don’t set your expectations super high as you begin. Set a goal and go with it. For example, better sleep, reduced anxiety, or stress relief. And don’t be afraid to try different methods of meditation until you find one you are comfortable with. 

After setting your goal or intention, create a space that is comfortable and free of distractions and noise. Some people like to keep things minimalist while others like to add things that bring comfort or joy (like candles, plants essential oils, or special lighting). If you are using a guided meditation app or program, you might consider using earbuds to cut out the distractions and noise. 

Now that you have set a goal and created a space, the next tip is to make your meditation a daily routine. Just like finding daily time to exercise, setting a time to meditate helps ensure you will make it a habit. For some, this might mean meditating first thing in the morning before the day begins. For others, meditating nightly before bed helps quiet the mind for better sleep. 

No matter what meditation method you choose, just beginning the journey is a step in the right direction. Meditation can help both your mental and physical health so developing a consistent practice is the key to success. Just get started and be open to where the path takes you!

After the soups and comfort foods of fall and winter, it’s time to enjoy the harvest of Spring vegetables. Nothing heralds the arrival of Spring and warmer temperatures like a nice Spring Harvest Salad. Depending on where you live, these vegetables may vary a bit in their arrival time but adjust the ingredients and ratios to your preferences. 

Spring leaf lettuce (and some other varieties depending on geography) can be plentiful this time of year so enjoy this early harvest of greens and mix and match to your taste buds. Spinach is also a great addition to any salad and packs a great nutritional punch. Spring onions are also plentiful this time of year as they are one of the first vegetables ready to harvest in early Spring. 

This salad begins with spring leaf lettuce, spinach, and if you like that peppery bite, a bit of arugula. Artichokes are also in season in the spring so adding those delicious hearts is a great option. Throw in some sliced strawberries and some of those spring onions and you have the base to a beautiful salad! 

Dressings can vary by preference as some want to keep the flavors as the star but here is a simple dressing for this amazing salad. 

• 4 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 2 ½ teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Adding a bit of feta cheese and some sliced toasted almonds takes this salad over the top. Bon Appetite!  

Even though Spring brings warmer weather and it is a healthful practice to eat seasonally, we always want to protect our digestive fire and the function of the spleen. It’s helpful to energetically warm up your salad with ginger or garlic in the dressing and/or adding cooked ingredients like grains, legumes, animal protein, roasted vegetables. Also, if you’re a smoothie fan, please “warm” that up with fresh ginger, fresh vs. frozen fruit when possible and avoid ice.

Happy Spring (and happy good digestion)!

Spring is a beautiful rebirth after a sometimes long, cold, and harsh winter. However, if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you know that this rebirth of Spring brings with it a release of pollen that can trigger hay fever. As plants, trees, grasses, and weeds begin to release their pollen, millions of people begin to sneeze and sniffle. 

The body detects the pollen in the system and thinks it needs to attack this foreign substance and histamines get released into the body. Symptoms include a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, and nasal congestion.

Over-counter-medications are often the first line of defense but can bring additional side effects and they treat the symptom but not the root cause. Clinical research demonstrates the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating seasonal allergies. Specific treatment points differ according to a person’s symptoms but common points that might be addressed include L120, ST2, and ST36 to deal with Qi deficiencies to get to the root of the problem. If you are sensitive to prescription medications, acupuncture is a great drug-free option to help relieve the symptoms of seasonal Spring allergies.

In addition to acupuncture treatments, there are other steps you can take to minimize your symptoms. 

• Do a spring cleaning and clean out particularly dusty or moldy areas of your home like air vents, basements, and attics.
• Stick to indoor activities to minimize pollen exposure and/or take advantage of mask wearing.
  
• Keep doors and windows closed.
• Take a shower to rinse off pollen after outdoor activities and wipe down pets.
  
• Use a HEPA filter in your home, particularly your bedroom.

The root cause of allergies is different for everyone. Another popular and helpful option to explore with an acupuncturist or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner is adding herbal formulas to your treatment plan as this can greatly increase the efficacy of the treatments. Herbs and acupuncture are an effective, safe combo for treating seasonal Spring allergies. 

What is diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic in the west and is usually caused by the production of  too much insulin. Why is there too much insulin? Simply put, the insulin is there to combat the amount of glucose in the blood. And carbohydrate foods are quickly turned into glucose in the bloodstream. A diabetic’s blood is tested over a period of 90 days. A popular treatment protocol is using medication with more insulin to bring blood glucose down, but dramatically reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed actually treats it from a ‘Ben’ level. 

In Chinese Medicine we talk about the ‘Ben’ and ‘Biao’. The Ben is the root of the issue and the Biao is the manifestation. In this case the Ben would be the amount of carbohydrate consumed and the Biao would be the body over producing insulin to combat it. When looked at in this way it becomes obvious that to medicate with more insulin may not only be unnecessary, but it could potentially do more harm by perpetuating the long-term progression of the disease, which can lead to more dire symptoms. 

Acupuncture treatment can help us to treat the ‘Ben’ by strengthening the organs of the Stomach and Spleen. In Chinese medicine, the function of the Spleen also includes the Pancreas and is often called the Spleen/Pancreas Official. The pancreas is the organ which western medicine understands to produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. When the Spleen meridian organ system is out of balance, it tends towards deficiency and weakness. When the Spleen is no longer functioning properly, we tend to crave sugary foods. The more sugar we eat, the more we can weaken the function of the Spleen, and then the more we crave. 

According to Chinese medical thought, almost all addictions stem from some sort of meridian and organ imbalance. The cure for addiction is to strengthen the Qi of the affected organ, the most effective  way to do that is through acupuncture treatment which works on the Qi level. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnoses for the disease is very different, it looks at differentiations of patterns – meaning different patients present with different patterns of diagnosis according to their varying constitutional types and lifestyle factors. Chinese medicine says that Yin is always deficient, whether that is Lung Yin in the case of diagnosis with excessive thirst. Stomach Yin in the case of diagnosis with excessive hunger, or Kidney Yin in the case of diagnosis with excessive urination. Ways Chinese medicine treatment can bring the Yin back into balance is acupuncture, herbs and rest. In a nutshell, Yin is stillness, rest, sleep. Yang is our active mode. The reason many westerners are imbalanced in their internal Yin is they do not rest enough. This is something simple we can all do more of for greater health.

So in summary the best ways to treat and even reverse your type 2 diabetes diagnosis are diet – reducing sugar and carbohydrate intake to a minimum. And seek out alternatives that can help – acupuncture can help to strengthen organs of digestion helping to reduce sugar cravings. The integration of acupuncture with herbs, can quickly rebalance the internal Yin and Yang of affected organs. More rest – be more Yin!

Foods to address diabetes (Type 2)

• Beans/legumes
• Dairy products
• Dietary fiber
• Dried fruits
• Fish
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Plant protein (decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes in females)
• Polyunsaturated fats
• Seafood omega-3s
• Seeds
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Yogurt

Foods to avoid to reduce the risk of diabetes

• High glycemic index and high glycemic load foods
• Nonnutritive sweeteners
• Processed meats
• Red meat and processed meat
• Sugar-sweetened beverages
• Trans-fats
• Unprocessed red meats