Chinese Medicine in Season

Spring is an ideal time for a Liver Cleanse

by Dr. Ursula Nickel, DOM

Spring is a time of birth and new beginnings. Seeds and bulbs explode into new forms as the sun warms the earth with each passing day. Animals begin new lives as they emerge from the womb of sleep.

The Wood Element corresponds to spring, and it expresses itself through the gusty winds that carry seedlings and pollen from place to place, especially in New Mexico. The Liver is the naturally active organ in the Wood Element, so springtime is an ideal time for a Liver cleanse. It is an opportunity to get rid of inside toxicities and to regenerate ourselves.

When the Liver is imbalanced, we might experience outbursts of anger or general irritability; it can also cause headaches, eye problems, High Blood Pressure, any kind of menstrual problems or masses like fibroids or tumors.

How can you support your Liver?

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, fats and sugars.
Eat organic food.
Include green vegetables and sour foods in your diet:
e.g.: asparagus, kale, spinach, celery, lemon or lime.
Undertake a modified fast by only eating clear soups or only vegetables for 3-6 days.
Do a Liver cleanse:

Mix two tablespoons of olive oil with the juice of half a lemon and drink it first thing in the morning for 3-6 days.

A healthy Liver creates people who are sure of themselves and can speak up for their needs, but who also know when to relax and to surrender into the natural flow of things. It allows people to grow as individuals, so that they bring more complete selves to all of their relationships.

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Cool your Heart in Meditation this Summer!

by Dr. Ursula Nickel, DOM

We are getting ready for summer, a time of growth and abundance. There is nothing subtle or hidden about summertime; every potential flower comes fully into being. Summer expresses itself through heat; like fire, heat is yang by nature and is essential to life and growth.

The Heart is the organ that is connected with the Fire Element and summertime. The Heart “houses” our spirit and emotions. When our Heart is out of balance, it can show as heart palpitation, insomnia, anxiety, mental restlessness, hyperactivity, ADD or reoccurring infections in our body.

Summer is the best time to balance your fire energy. As fire tends to be abundant, we need to eat cooling foods: light and bland meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables; add cucumber, salad greens, watermelon, sprouts or lemons to your summer diet. Hot teas like mint and chamomile are wonderful summer drinks. Avoid heavy foods like meat, eggs, and oils; stay away from caffeine, alcohol or other stimulants.

Meditation is cooling, it nourishes our fire energy with calmness and a sense of tranquility. Surrender your mind, let your Heart govern through its innate wisdom. Fire is a metaphor for qualitative change, allowing us to transform envy into joy and fear into love.

When the Fire Element in us is balanced, it gives us the capacity for joy and the enthusiasm to fulfill our goals, the desire to reach out and the faith that we will find what we seek.

Have a wonderful summer!

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Late Summer is about Nourishment

by Dr. Ursula Nickel, DOM

During late summer the earth is filled with nourishment representing the fruits of our labor. We are in our Earth Element. Earth is the home of all elements and the stable center in which they are all grounded. The expansive Yang slowly gives over to the more internal Yin.

How does the Earth Element affect us?

Earth helps us establish a balance between nourishing ourselves and others.
Earth enables us to gain stability and to avoid being swept along by the whirlpool of our fate.
Earth supports us in gathering resources like food or money.
Earth teaches us generosity and patience.

The Earth Element governs our digestion with the help of the Spleen and the Stomach. If we lack Earth energy, we will experience fatigue, bloating, gas or sugar cravings; it might also show as poor concentration, lack of creativity, neediness, selfishness or feeling ungrounded. On the other hand, too much Earth energy will produce weight gain, tumors, congestion, a tendency to worry a lot or a feeling of being “stuck”.

How can we support the Spleen and the Stomach?

Eat regularly and chew your food well
Eat mostly cooked food
Drink water at room temperature (skip the ice cubes!)
Eat naturally sweet foods like grains, honey, fish and nuts
Eat yellow-orange foods like corn, carrots, yellow squash and potatoes
Avoid refined sugars and sweeteners.

A balanced Earth element gives us the ability to attune ourselves to our own presence. From this centered place we are able to establish a healthy balance of caring for ourselves and for others.

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Letting Go in Fall

by Dr. Ursula Nickel, DOM

The leaves are turning, the nights are getting cooler, we are cleaning out our closets and letting go of things; we feel autumn's Metal energy. It's the time when the life-force on every plant withdraws from its leaves and branches to collect in the roots. Everything and everybody becomes more Yin, turning inward.

The Lungs and Large Intestine are connected to the Metal Element. The Lungs help us breathe and keep our immune-system strong. The Large Intestine eliminates waste from our body. They both teach us to hold on to what is of value and to let go what we don't need anymore. Imbalances result in exhaustion, cold or flu, allergies, asthma, trouble breathing, shortness of breath, cough, skin rashes, constipation or diarrhea.

Fall is a great time to balance Metal energy in your life:

Diet: A fall diet should be rich and hearty, more meats, nuts, fish and oils are appropriate as the weather gets cooler. Use pungent flavors which we find in garlic, onions, cinnamon and ginger. Eat fruits with thick peels like citrus fruits, bananas and mangos.

Breath: Practice Pranayama or Qi Gong as the breath gets you in touch with the ethereal energy of the Metal element.

Feng Shui: Enhance your environment with crystals and mirrors or wear gold or silver jewelry; in rooms with electronic or electric devices like computers, TV's or kitchen appliances, calm the metal element by enriching the room with color, shape, texture and incense.

Acupuncture: When acupuncture uses metal needles or electrical current to stimulate the points and meridians, it calls upon Metal energies.

Metal teaches us to see life as it really is. It cuts through our delusions and lets us recognize that something of great value remains with us despite or even because of our losses. By letting go, we become deeper, fuller and richer beings.

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Winter as Time of Stillness and Inner Peace

by Dr. Ursula Nickel, DOM

In the Five Element Cycle Water corresponds with winter, a time of rest and restoration. As trees stand dormant and many animals are hibernating, we also need to restore our energies for the new spring. Winter’s dark hours and cold temperatures manifest absolute Yin – passivity and tranquility.

The Water Element governs night and sleep and dreaming is a Water activity that takes us out of the regular world and into deeper realms. Water is the source of our imagination. It invites us to feel connected not only to each other but also to our country, community and the whole of creation. It gives us a sense of being part of a whole.

The Kidneys and the Urinary Bladder belong to the Water Element; they are considered the “pilot light” that ignites the body’s energy. If you have an imbalance in your Water Element, you might experience chronic low back pain or achy knees, cold hands and feet, ear problems or general exhaustion; it can also show as urinary tract infection or edema in the legs.

How can you nourish your Water Element?

have routine and moderation in your daily activities!
have regular sleep and regular meals
drink plenty of water
cook with water like steaming, boiling, poaching
eat foods in the shape or color of the kidneys, ex: eggplant, certain nuts, black beans or purple potatoes
spend more time relaxing, sleeping or meditating
light candles, take a bath or listen to music.

Water’s action is non-action.

Water is the womb from which all life emerges and the place to which it returns. Water teaches us compassion, and the more we cultivate compassion, the more conscious we become of our role in the greater whole.

Happy Holidays!

Ursula Nickel, DOM
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
www.nickelacupuncture.com
505-379-8525