Power of “Letting Go”

What is it about all this “stuff” in our lives?  Maybe we accumulate things because they hold precious memories, or they remind us of our parents, past romances or childhood.  To part with these possessions seems out of the question.  But there’s a saying that I’ve always liked, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.”  And if you’re feeling stagnant in your life, it may be time to let a few things go and welcome the new energy that’s just waiting to come into your life.

We actually have two “homes” that need to be cleaned regularly: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” around our homes, so do our bodies accumulate food residues and toxins.  And, although our bodies are equipped with a wide variety of organs designed to rid harmful toxins, these organs are most efficient when we provide the right nutrients to do this arduous job.

To fully clean your body, it’s important to give our organs a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and select whole grains. Fasting means the limitation of most foods and replacing them with lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. By limiting the energy going toward digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind, helping you sharpen your concentration improve your immune function and enhance digestion.

While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter.

© 2012 Deborah Farley, L.Ac, CHHC, DOM

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia. She's a leading authority on using nutrition and Chinese medicine for treating symptoms and root causes of illness.  For additional resources to improve your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.

Acupuncture Eases Unexplained Symptoms

Peninsula Medical School, at the University of Exeter conducted research on 80 patients who experienced headaches, muscle pain, extreme fatigue or joint and back pain to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture on their ailments. The study, led by Professor Andrew Gould, followed 80 adults who had consulted their general practitioner eight or more times in the prior year for these various unexplained symptoms. Half of the group received up to 12 sessions of five-element acupuncture treatments during a six month period; the remainder received no extra treatment.

The patients receiving acupuncture reported improved well-being and scored higher on an individualized health status questionnaire than the control group. They reported that their acupuncture consultations became increasingly valuable and that the interactive and holistic nature of the sessions gave them a sense that something positive was being done about their condition.

Professor Andrew Gould said it is important to offer patients other options when conventional medicine isn’t working. “We don’t know how acupuncture is making a difference, but it seems to be something to do with the treatment, rather than just a placebo or the one-to-one care the patients are getting,” explained Gould.  The study was the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Source:  The research results were published in The British Journal of General Practice.

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia.  To learn more about improving your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.

Make the Switch to Natural Sweeteners

Who among us doesn’t love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Since refined sweeteners have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they can spike blood sugar, which can often lead to cravings and mood and energy fluctuations. Instead, using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners can reduce cravings for sugary things.

Here are a few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.

Raw Honey

Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.   Also choose local honey as it can aid in reducing and eliminating seasonal allergies. 

Fruit

Fruit is the most natural form of sugar available.  Our bodies know exactly how to assimilate it.  Fruits whether fresh or dried have been used in recipes for hundreds of years.  Also you can use fresh fruit juices in many recipes as well.

 

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks. Make sure to look for 100% Grade B pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all 

sweeteners, organic varieties are best.

Adapted from "The Cane Mutiny," New Age Magazine, March/April 1999.

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia. She's a leading authority on using nutrition and Chinese medicine for treating symptoms and root causes of illness.  For additional resources to improve your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.

Oriental Medicine and Autumn Allergies

Oriental medicine has been used to treat allergies for hundreds of years. Several studies have confirmed that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be helpful for allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, and food allergies.

Some foods contain the flavanoid, quersetin that can cross-react with tree pollen. Quercetin can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect. It also decreases inflammation.  Quercetin is found in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea.

In a study published in Allergy, 52 people with allergic rhinitis were randomly assigned acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal tea or sham acupuncture and herbs for six weeks. Nearly 85 percent or the people receiving the real acupuncture and herbs had 100 percent or significant improvement of their symptoms, versus 40 percent of those getting the placebo treatment.

Spice up your menu! Remember to use plenty of spicy additions to raise your body temperature, which ultimately draws heat OUT to the surface where it’s released as perspiration, eliminating toxins and impurities.  Try adding spices that range from mild to hot (fresh ginger to cayenne pepper) and use in menus as well as summertime beverages.  Spicy dishes can thin mucus secretions and clear nasal passages.  Ginger is a natural antihistamine and decongestant. It may provide some relief from allergy symptoms by dilating constricted bronchial tubes.

Food intolerances also seem to be connected with seasonal allergies. A healthy colon can decrease food sensitivity, which can, in turn, lighten the burden on your immune system. To support your colon health, increase fiber and add active probiotics that can restore the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.  

If you suffer from allergies and are interested in using acupuncture and/or are curious to learn about eating the right nutrition to best support your individual health, contact the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond at 804.288.3927.

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia. She's a leading authority on using nutrition and Chinese medicine for treating symptoms and root causes of illness.  For additional resources to improve your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.

Autumn Health: Lungs and Large Intestine

Autumn is the season to nourish and detoxify the lungs and large intestine.   Your lungs are your first line of defense against unhealthy air. When you’re relaxed, you breathe in oxygen approximately fifteen times per minute.  In order for your lungs to be able to eliminate carbon dioxide, it’s essential that your lungs are functioning properly.  When your lungs aren’t functioning properly, your body accumulates heat, which can perpetuate all sorts of health issues, including allergies, frequent colds, neck pain, reduced immunity, sinusitis, excessive perspiration- even melancholy.

Equally important to your health this time of year is the large intestine.  It is divided into three parts:  The caecum, where your appendix is attached; colons—ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid; and the rectum.  When the large intestine is constipated you may experience skin rashes, acne, dry skin and eczema.  When constipated, waste creates a toxic state that shows up as bloating, gas, headaches and irritability.   Autumn is a particularly good time of year to focus on caring for your large intestine.  Pay attention to your diet and eliminate foods that are rich in sugar, flour, dairy products, alcohol, and caffeine – all of these can aggravate your gut and large intestine.   Instead, build your meals around foods to support the health and function of both your lung and large intestines. 

Here are a few items to regularly keep on your Autumn shopping list:

FRUITS:  apple, blackberry, fig, pear, plum, date

VEGETABLES: bell pepper, broccoli, garlic, leeks, onions, pumpkin, red cabbage, shallot, squash, sweet potato, turnip, yam

GRAINS:  amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, rye

NUTS: almond, brazil, cashew, pecan, pistachio, walnut

BEANS:  adzuki, black, carob, garbanzo, kidney, lentil, lima

SEEDS:  flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower

If you want to learn about eating the right combination of foods to best support your individual health needs and goals, schedule time with Debi by calling 804.288.3927 or email debi@debifarley.com.

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia. She's a leading authority on using nutrition and Chinese medicine for treating symptoms and root causes of illness.  For additional resources to improve your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.

Declutter Your Health

I’m often asked the question how often one should detox to clear out the “junk” that accumulates in our body.  Sure, our bodies are equipped to regularly detox and eliminate toxins, but I believe there’s considerable value in refueling and replenishing our bodies with a nutritional cleanse that will best support our ability to do this efficiently.  But deciding how often you should do a detox should be based on your individual choice and lifestyle.  It should also be based on what your health goals are and whether you do a “mini detox” at various other times throughout the year.  

Many people choose to detox once or twice a year for a lengthy period of time, while others choose to do short cleanses such as one to three days several times a year.   A short detox tends to include activities like juicing, water fasting, or the popular master cleanse.  A short detox usually occurs once a week, once a month, or once every couple of months.  Some also choose a more structured program if they’ve recently undergone a major change to their body or are trying to heal or reverse a medical condition.  

My personal belief is that it is good to do a detoxification program at least twice per year.  It doesn’t matter what length of time or how often you decide to do a detoxification program; you are still reaping great benefits from doing so.  The bottom line is to simply listen to your body and remember to get the expertise and support to guide you along the way.  

If you’re interested in learning more about the detox programs that serve as the basis for my RESET to Wellness programs, check out these upcoming opportunities:
If you live in the Richmond, Virginia area - register to attend a FREE one-hour talk/overview on September 6 at the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond.

If you live outside of this area, send me an email at debi@debifarley.com and schedule a free 10-minute consult by phone to review the different programs that we have available, and what would make the most sense for you.  

Deborah Farley is a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath and owner of the Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, in Richmond, Virginia. She's a leading authority on using nutrition and Chinese medicine for treating symptoms and root causes of illness.  For additional resources to improve your health and wellness, visit www.debifarley.com or call 804.288.3927.