Juices for Health

Freshly made juices are a very good source of vitamins and minerals. Enzymes produce energy and are essential for digesting, absorbing and converting ood into body tissue. Without vitamins, enzymes could not carry out their work, and we could not live. Our body can absorb more vitamins and minerals f we drink fresh juices than if we eat the fruits and vegetables whole. By blending fruits and vegetables to make juices and smoothies, we break down.

Acne
Potato + radish + carrot + cucumber

Anaemia
Blackberry + parsley juice

Arthritis
Pink grapefruit + carrot + spinach

Asthma
Carrot + parsnip + celery + sweet potato + garlic

Blood Purifier
Tomato juice

Cellulite
Apple + beetroot + celery

Cleansing Liver
Pineapple + carrot + beetroot + lime

Colds and Flu
Papaya + grapefruit + raspberries + lime

Constipation
Pear + pitted prunes + spinach

Cystitis
Cranberries + watermelon + cucumber

Detoxifying
Watermelon + strawberries

Diabetes
Brussels sprouts + carrot + artichokes + green beans + lettuce + lemon

Diarrhoea
Apple + blueberries

Dieting
Grapefruit + cucumber + lemon + sparkling mineral water

Energy levels
Kale + wheatgrass + spirulina

Eyesight
Carrot + endive + celery

Gout
Celery + parsley juice

Hair and Nails
Parsnip + green pepper + watercress + cucumber

Hangovers
Papaya + oranges + cucumber

Headaches/Migraine
Lettuce + fennel + lemon

Heart Disease
Carrot + pineapple juice + honey

High Blood Pressure
White grape juice and carrot juice

Immune System
Red pepper + strawberries + tomato + mango + watermelon

Insomnia
Pineapple + grapes + lettuce + celery

Lethargy
Carrot + beetroot + orange + strawberries

Low Blood Pressure
Capsicum + garlic

Low Fertility
Melon + cucumber + avocado + dried apricots + wheatgerm

Menopause
Carrot + beetroot + yam

Morning Sickness
Peach + root ginger + sparkling mineral water

Motion Sickness
Apple + root ginger

Osteoporosis
Turnips + carrot + broccoli + dandelion leaves + apple

PMS
Blackberries + pineapple

Pregnancy Care
Carrot + lettuce + parsnip + cantaloupe melon

Reduce Weight
Parsley + grape juice + pineapple juice

Reducing Cholesterol
Blueberries + grapefruit + apple + root ginger

Sinusitis
Horseradish + lemon

Skin Disorders
Red pepper + tomatoes + white cabbage + parsley

Stomach Infection
Carrot + blackberry juice

Stress
Celery + fennel + romaine lettuce + pineapple

Water Retention
Asparagus + dandelion leaves + melon + cucumber + pear

Weight Gain
Pineapple + grapes + orange + apple + mango + banana

Prevention In Traditional Chinese Medicine

Seasons and time – know the strengths and weakness of Yin and Yang, use different methods to prevent disorders and strengthen the body.
Diet – complete diet will enrich Qi and Blood to nourish  the organs within, eat before you are hungry, drink before you are thirsty, eat many small meals
Lifestyle – we must unite the body and spirit to keep healthy
Environment – keep a clean and balanced home
Exercise – if something is not used it will cease up, the more one moves and uses their joints they will be in better health
 
Treating Diseases For Each Season
Spring and summer – nourish Yang
Fall and winter – nourish Yin
Spring – liver – predominance of Wind
Summer – heart – predominance of heat and Fire
Fall – lung – extreme dryness
Winter – kidney (warm cold)
 
Spring

Yang energy is abundant, everything is growing upward, body essence is being transformed with body fluids, blood and Qi nourish the body’s Yang Qi to stimulate the metabolism.
Maintain happy thoughts and stay calm.

Build up will, ambition and ideals (Zhi Sheng) build up the spirit and the mind.
Less sleep is needed. Spend more time outdoors.
Eat pungent, sweet, warm foods.
Exercise should be gentle and smooth.
Liver Qi is strongest in spring – easily show liver yang rising symptoms.
Appetite should increase.
 
Summer

Yang energy is strong – full of life, hot weather.
Bodies yang Qi is easily lost due to the open pores.
Strengthen yang Qi.
Clear and harmonize the mind and spirit, stay mellow.
Less sleep is needed but an afternoon nap is recommended.
Bland tasteless foods, not rich foods, easily digested food, fruits and veggies.
Do not eat cold which is too cold.
Exercise in the morning or evening when the temperature is not too hot.
 
Indian summer

Hot and dampness is most prominent, this easily damages heart and spleen function.
Recessive fee r, sticky/clammy sweating, poor appetite, heavy limbs, fatigue, soft stool.
Drink plenty of fluids to prevent body fluid deficiency, aromatic and cool foods.
 
Fall

Everything is ripe, Yang Qi stats to close and Ying Qi starts to grow.
Start to protect body fluids from dry season.
Stay positive, calm and happy.
Sleep early and get up early.
Do not get cold yet stay cool.
Eat lite, cool foods, promote body fluid production foods (pears).
Exercise less than in spring and summer – try to store yang Qi for the winter.
 
Winter

Everything is stored – ying Qi is strongest, yang Qi is hiding.
Protect yin Qi, wear warm clothing
Do not overeat
Lots of sleep needed, go to bed early and get up late
Exercise till sweating lightly before stopping.
Kidney Qi is easily injured – tonify and enrich kidney essence

Foods According To The Season
Spring – cooling foods – avoid warm clothes, warm drinks, warm food (barley).
Summer – cold foods – avoid hot food, hot drinks, avoid dampness, don’t over eat (green beans).
Fall – dryness -flaxseeds, sesame seeds, eat many lubricating foods  Winter – Cold – keep warm, eat warm foods.

Treating Diseases Due To Diet
The diet is the bodies source to maintain it’s development physiologically and functionally.  If there is irregular diet there will be disease

Poor Diet

Over eating, starving or hungry.
Unclean food, rotten food.
Cravings (eating too hot, too spicy, too cold, too greasy.)
           
Regular Diet

Amount of food and time of meals stays similar.
Eat best in morning, have big lunch, eat small dinners.
Hygiene (clean water and clean food sources)
Harmonize flavors (do not eat to much of a sweet, salty, pungent, bitter, sour flavor)

Adjust diet to season

Spring – pungent/sweet/warm  – help yang Qi
Summer – sour, sweet, light foods
Fall – avoid pungent foods eat sticky, lubricating, oily foods – protect yin (especially of Lung)
Winter – warm foods, grains, rich foods – store yang Qi
 
Body Type

Growing children – high in nutrients
Middle aged – do not drink alcohol to much
Seniors – eat light food, soft food, warm food
Women – period, pregnancy – nourish Qi and Blood Foods (eggs, soups, dates, fish)
            – over weight – cave man diet (raw veggies, meat, no starches)
            – skinny – sweet, lubricating, easily produce fluids foods
            – yang body- bland foods, cooling, dark green leafy veggies
 
The Art Of Chewing
Slow chewing and swallowing
Concentrate on eating (heart and mind help spleen digest)
Be happy – do not eat when angry
Post meal – warm hands and rub abdomen
Post meal – rinse mouth, brush teeth after meals
Post meal – 20 minutes after – take 100 step walk (traditional)
(100 steps = live till 99 yrs old)
 
Lifestyle To Unite The Body And Spirit
Regulate the lifestyle to maintain good health
 
Principles
Keep regular hours (sleeping, eating …)
Balance working and resting, balance physical work and mental work
Good sleeping – follow sun (traditional) 8-10 adult, 11-12 infant, 9-11 teenager,  7-8 senior 
Sleep with head pointing east
Sleep in fetal position, preferably on yang side (right)
Don’t talk to much before bed
Don’t sleep on full stomach
Avoid wind when sleeping (open windows) and don’t cover head
Hard mattress with firm pillow
Clothing – wear according to season
             – stay warm when pores open (after exercise)
             – dress according to body type (pregnancy, puberty, child, senior)
             – don’t wear wet clothes

Environmental Factors
A good environment will have clean water, green plants, mountains, lots of sunlight, lots of circulating air and proper sanitization of the soil, water and air.
 
Positive Environment
Visually pleasing – clean air/water/soil, nice weather (like BC)
Not polluted
Need sunshine and natural light
Need circulating air
Quiet atmosphere
 
Negative Environment (anything in excess can be negative)
Too hot and too damp – tropical – easily develop muscular disorders (spasm, numbness,bi-syndrome)
Too cold – easily develop interior cold disorder, distended abdomen
Too flat – plains – lack of exercise – easily have ‘rich disease’
Too mountainous – lacking metals
Too toxic – too much radiation
Too polluted – respiratory disease
Too noisy – mental disease – anxiety, insomnia …
Too dirty – rodents – rats, insects

Exercise
Exercise is needed to maintain physical and mental health by concentrating on ones breathing  with body movements.  Doing too much or not enough exercise will be detrimental.  The amount and the intensity will be different depending on the individual and will change with the seasons.

1. walking

    – elderly – 2-3miles per day
    – stimulates organs & body’s metabolism, calms the mind
    – pulse should be kept around 130 beats per minute
    – walk and massage abdomen for digestive disorders
2. Five Exercises – Wu Zing Xi 
    – Tiger Exercise – works on 12 meridians
    – Bear Exercise – works on lumbar and waist
    – Deer Exercise – works on neck
    – Monkey Exercise – stretches whole body
    – Bird Exercise – ready to fly!
3. Tai Ji Stick – shoulder width stick, massage whole body with stick, aids in digestion
4. Ba Duan Jing

    – Slow exercises which correspond with TCM thinking
    – Whole body exercise (good for the knees, back, body of seniors)
5. Self massage

    – mouth massage
    – face massage
    – scalp/hair massage
    – nose massage
    – ear massage
    – eye massage and exercises
    – kidney massage (massage KD 1 to lower blood pressure)
    – foot massage – from ST 36 – top of foot with feet in hot water
    – massage knees with feet in hot water
    – respiratory disorders – tap REN 22 (superior end of sternum)

Tips To Avoid or Reduce Head Pain

2A positive aspect of headaches and Migraine disease is that there are many things we can do for ourselves to reduce or avoid episodes. Not only does this let us reduce our pain, it also gives us some control over our disorders and restores some of the control over our lives of which those disorders seem to rob us. Let’s see how to give some of that head pain the boot!

1) Get those ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZs!
Too much, too little, or disrupted sleep is a very common trigger of headache and Migraine. Experts recommend that we set times to go to bed and get up and stick to those times, even on weekends and during vacation. If you don’t feel rested after a night’s sleep or experience excessive daytime sleepiness, talk to your doctor about a sleep study to rule out sleep disorders.

2) Regular meal times, healthy snacks
Whether linked to drops in blood glucose levels or not, skipping meals is something to be avoided. It’s also something we can control fairly well. Plan balanced meals on a regular schedule. Even those of us with hectic schedules or on vacations can work with this one by keeping healthy snacks handy. Look out for fast food snacks though. They can do as much harm as good.

3) Avoid dehydration
For some people, even mild dehydration can trigger head pain, so drinking lots of fluids is essential. Take a bit of care with what you’re drinking as some fruit juices and caffeine can be triggers. Proper hydration is essential to good health in general, so you’ll be working on more than head pain prevention!

4) Play trigger detective
Doing your best Sherlock Holmes impersonation, investigate your triggers. A great ways to do this is by keeping a Headache and Migraine Diary. Remember that you may encounter a trigger up to 48 hours before a headache or Migraine begins. Your diary may reveal patterns that hadn’t been spotted before. Also, if you have many episodes with unidentified triggers, that may tell your doctor something.

5) Be a good student
We’re all ultimately responsible for our health. Learning about head pain is essential. We need to understand our condition to be able to care for ourselves, avoid episodes when possible, and lessen their impact when they can’t be avoided. WE live with these bodies 24/7, so it’s up to us to tell our doctors what they need to know. It’s also up to us to make treatment decisions for each episode.

6) Take time for yourself
We all need time to ourselves. Set aside a period of time every day that is just for you. Whether you meditate, listen to a relaxation CD, exercise a bit, or just sit quietly, use this time to focus on you, how you’re feeling, what you need. Use this time to recharge and center yourself. It will pay off, leaving you more relaxed and aware of yourself.

7) Build a support system
Do you get “the guilties?” Ever feel that you’re always complaining around your family? Relax. We all feel that way sometimes. Find others who are afflicted by head pain to talk to. There are live support groups in some places, and there are online forums and chat rooms where you can always find someone in a similar situation who will understand. You’re NOT alone.

8) Wear those shades!
Consider this an investment – a good pair of optical-grade, polarized sunglasses. Optical-grade lenses don’t have the distortion that some inexpensive lenses have. Polarization is essential for cutting glare. Sunglasses are not just for summer sun. Wear them indoors and out, whenever the light is bothersome. Add a ball cap when light comes in above the sunglasses so the bill can block that light.

9) Watch your overall health
When we have a particular health problem, it’s easy to concentrate on it and ignore our overall health. Don’t. Good overall health is essential to fighting any particular health problem. When we’re generally healthy, we have fewer health issues affecting each other and causing us problems.

10) “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
So what if there’s an undone load of laundry, a few dishes in the sink, or a couple of minor household repairs to be done? These aren’t things to worry about. The house isn’t going to fall down around us. We simply can’t let little things bother us. Stress can trigger tension headaches and be an aggravator to Migraine triggers. We have to learn to prioritize and do what we’re able to do each day.