Diet for a Healthy Liver

The Liver dominates the circulation. The Liver stores the blood and anytime blood is needed in your body it must be de-livered and then pumped via the heart to those areas of demand.

When your Liver is under stress, it tightens up and does not free the blood so easily leading to stiffness and tension. When that blood does not reach the diaphragm and stomach, you experience diaphragmatic tension and heartburn.

When Liver energy is stagnant, depression, irritability and stress show up. When the energy flow to the brain is inhibited, then you might feel fatigue and dizziness.

One critical thing to do is to improve your Liver with your diet.

In General, the Liver benefits from sour taste. So twice per day, drink warm water with ½ lemon or lime, or warm water with apple cider vinegar. Also, include more of the tart taste like you find in berries.

The GRAINS that benefit the Liver

• Oats,
  
• Wheat
  
• Rye

Try whole grain bread,Oatmeal with some berries

The LEGUMES (beans) that benefit the Liver

• Green Lentils
  
• Mung beans
• Lima beans

Use in stews and soups,
Get creative, take seasoned spiced beans and use a food processor to make into a paste (like hummus) and use in a wrap with some alfalfa spouts.

The NUTS / SEEDS that benefit the Liver

• Brazil nuts
• Cashews

The VEGETABLES that benefit the Liver

• Green Bell Peppers
• Green Peas
• lettuce
• String Beans
• Zucchini

A great way to really make super veggie liver detox is to choose any two or three of the above veggies and juice them.

The FRUITS that benefit the Liver

• Avocado
• Grape
• Lemon
• Lime
• Plums

See, healthy eating is NOT Boring Eating. Food should make you feel alive and vital. In today's polluted modern world, taking care of your Liver is an absolute must.





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How Many Times a Day Should You Have a Bowel Movement?

Remember that old Tootsie Roll Pop Commercial? .
“Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?”
“A - Three” replies the owl.
According to many health and fitness experts, the answer to the question:
“How many bowel movements should a person have a day?” is the same – “Three”

Many people consider it “normal” to have a bowel movement once per day and some people consider it “normal” and think they’re doing good with one every other day. Still others I’ve seen in my practice “normally” are having only one bowel movement per week. This is one of those situations where I consider “normal” to be pathological. If you are having only one bowel movement per day, I would consider you to be constipated. One should not strive for “normal” when it comes to health. Especially considering that most people are suffering from some sort of chronic degenerative disease and taking medication. One should strive for optimal. Shockingly, I once heard a patient tell me that her gastroenterologist considered a bowel movement every five days within "normal".

Let’s consider this:
∗ How many decent sized meals does a person generally eat in a day
∗ The usual answer is “3”
Now think what must happen to all of that food. It doesn’t just disappear- presto change-o -gone- nothing up my sleeve.

No, the food does not disappear - it takes that amazing journey through the tube, from our stomach, getting churned to a paste, and mixed with acid, then to the small intestine where it meets with enzymes from the pancreas and liver who get to work breaking the food into primary nutrients. In the small intestines is where the absorption of nutrients takes place. According to Bruce H. Robinson in Biomedicine, there are 21 feet of absorptive tubing to the small intestine, with an amazing 2 Million cubic centimeters of absorptive surface area. Of course not all of that material will be absorbed and transformed into your human. Much of what is absorbed into the bloodstream is brought to the Liver for processing and packaging. That which isn’t absorbed will be passed down to the colon for elimination.

And here’s where trouble can get serious. What if that food is not being eliminated?

Here’s a simple word problem they never gave you in third grade:

Jane eats 3 plates of food per day. Everyday she gets rid of one plate’s worth, how many plates of food are left in Jane’s tube after one day? After one week? After one year?*

Judy eats 3 plates of food per day. Every other day she gets rid of one plate’s worth, how many plates of food are left in Judy’s tube after one day? After one week? After one year?**

Many people would consider Jane’s case “normal”. With 728 plates worth of food in the body, guess what Jane? You’re probably fat. And indeed we are seeing an epidemic in obesity in America. If that food is not leaving the body, it stays in the body. The colon is full of bacteria that go to work breaking down that garbage, creating toxins and sewage-like gases in the process. The body does it’s best to salvage what it can. It will transform whatever it can to fat. It will send the toxins to the lymph and then the Liver for re-processing. Toxins will accumulate in the lymph glands, the liver and the lymph will want somewhere to store these toxins and if they are fat-soluble toxins they will be stored in the fat. If they are water-soluble toxins the body will retain more fluid.

This is a simple case of filth accumulating inside the human. It becomes a breeding ground for disease. It puts an enormous demand on the cleansing systems of the liver and kidneys and lymphatic and immune systems. This requires a huge amount of energy just to survive in such a state. And it gets worse…

What happens when the Liver is overloaded?

The blood becomes more acidic and toxic. The acidity in the blood causes the red blood cells to clump together making the blood more viscous. Viscous blood does not flow as fast to the brain and the muscles, creating muscle tension and fatigue and leads poor decision-making. The toxic blood generates more free radicals causing damage to the vessels, putting strain on the heart and necessitating an increase in cholesterol levels to patch the holes in the vessels.


What happens when the Energy generators are overtaxed?

The energy investment in operating an inefficient metabolism creates energy deficits. Less energy available for tissue repair, less energy available for defenses. Less energy available for movement and creative thought. This also creates a hunger craving for sweet foods. Sweet foods are known to give a quick pick me up. The body knows this. This then creates a situation of more acidity as that sugar oxidizes (burns). Over time this leads to an overload to the insulin system. The cells become so over-bloated because there is less space to put the cellular waste products due to the overloaded sewage system (the lymph) that they don’t want to accept any more sugar, so you get insulin resistant cells.

So, you can see that one real key to a healthy system is making sure the garbage goes out. So that means, “Three bowel movements per day”. If you are not having that magic number, you will need to do something different. What to do? - I will be discussing in my next article.




* after one day? There are 2 plates worth.
After one week? There are 14 plates worth
After one year? There are 728 plates worth of food

**After one day? There are 3 plates worth
After one week? There are 18 plates worth
After one year? There are 936 plates worth of food.

Bruce H. Robinson, Biomedicine: A Textbook for Practitioners of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, p309.

To find a qualified licensed acupuncturist in your area, click here
To learn more about herbs for health, click here PROMO CODE 38389
learn more about Justin’s practice here
subscribe to the podcast "your chinese medicine minute"
buy his e-book, "healthy people don't need medicine".

NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN

Neck and Shoulder pain is a fairly common complaint of the modern worker in the United States. This condition can affect anyone who uses his or her arms a lot in daily work, whether it is computer work, phone work, lifting, or any other repetitive movement of the upper body. It is treated exceptionally well with acupuncture and Chinese Herbs.

From a Chinese Medicine Perspective, Neck and Shoulder Pain is a symptom of stagnant Qi and Blood. This stagnation affects primarily the Urinary Bladder, Gall Bladder, and Small Intestine meridian channels. As this is an area many people carry their stress there is generally stagnancy and depression of the Liver Energy as well. The continuous holding of stress leads to Qi and Blood stagnation and to poor circulation in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, including the trapezius, the levetor scapulae, the scalene, the rhomboids, the infraspinatus and deltoid, creating a lot of stiffness and tension. This excessive tension limits the mobility of the neck, as well as the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder joint, and the facet joints of the spinal column. This tension and stiffness of the muscles leads to an accumulation of lactic acid in the tissues and interstitial space. This excessive acid accumulation in the tissues can trigger inflammation and long term can lead to degeneration of the discs. Additionally, this continuous tension and stress in the muscles can lead to chronic headaches, poor memory, fatigue, poor decision making, eye strain.

The Standard Western Approach to Neck and Shoulder pain:

Starting with NSAID (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs), painkillers and Muscle relaxers, progressing to cortical steroid injections, nerve blocks and Surgery may be an option in extreme cases. Side effects from these drugs range from mild to serious including: addiction, and even ultimately kidney failure.

The Chinese Medicine Approach:

The use of acupuncture for neck and shoulder pain is ancient. Points in the local area of the neck, base of skull, and shoulder blade are used to relax muscles, increase endorphin production, and increase circulation. Additionally, points are chosen to increase the functioning of the Liver the Kidneys and adrenal glands. Points are also selected along the Gall Bladder, Small Intestine and Urinary Bladder Meridians. Points may also be chosen to help with the general constitution as well. Electric stimulation to the needles may be used for increased endorphin response. Once placed, the needles will remain for 30 minutes while the patient relaxes and focuses on breathing.

Herbal wise, the approach to neck and shoulder pain is to increase circulation, dispel wind and dampness, strengthen the functioning of the Kidney, and alleviate stress from the Liver system.

A course of treatment with acupuncture is 10 sessions. It is best to have acupuncture more frequently in the early stages of treatment and then decrease frequency with time. Often times back pain will resolve within that time, and then the patient will use acupuncture as a preventive measure.


Justin Burkett, is a licensed acupuncturist and Master of Oriental Medicine with a practice onboard Carnival Conquest, sailing from Galveston, TX. He writing a book on an integrated approach toward natural health called, "Healthy People Don't Need Medicine". He is proud to be part of a tradition of medicine that is truly a treasure of world knowledge that stretches back across time and around the world.

To find a qualified licensed acupuncturist in your area, click here.
To learn more about herbs for allergies, click here.
You can learn more about Justin’s practice here.
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All stuffed up? Try Chinese Medicine for Allergies.

If you suffer from allergies, you understand that you are not truly free. The degree of limitation caused by an allergy can vary from mild to severe. Some people might not be able to indulge in a favorite dessert; others might have to limit a social visit to a beloved due to the presence of an offensive animal, such as a cat (or dog); some may not be able to fully appreciate a spring day for the pollen; and still others may be living with an underlying fear of anaphylactic shock should a peanut come anywhere near them. Though different in degree, the underlying fundamental is the same: the body is over reacting to some substance in the environment.

Think of allergies as a culmination of a crisis. The stage has been set, and the body’s defenses are on hair trigger, (or dander trigger, or pollen trigger, or mold trigger, well, you get the point)

Let’s first look at rhinitis, or seasonal allergies, or hay fever. Symptoms include itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, stuffy nose and sinus congestion. Phlegm obstructs the nasal cavity; pressure begins to build in the sinuses; (the sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull that keep the head lighter and are also involved in sensing ambient pressure of the environment); Lymph nodes may begin to swell and a person may be prone to recurrent colds and flu's. Though manifesting in the eyes, face and nose, the phlegm is actually a product of a sub-optimal digestive capacity. In Chinese Medicine terms we talk about the Spleen function.

In Chinese Medicine, this process: the transformation of the food we eat into a substance our body uses to make energy, is one function of the Spleen system. The Spleen also governs the transportation function in the body. If the Spleen function is impaired the body will not transform the food more easily create “dampness”. When the dampness does not resolve, when it accumulates and combines with heat it turns to phlegm, (think of making pudding.) This phlegm starts to coat the linings of the body, including the lungs and throat and nose. This phlegm can also coat the linings and tissues of the internal organs as well. Phlegm can even lodge in the muscle tissues. One the thing about phlegm is that it inhibits the electrical conductivity through the body. It prevents the free flow of qi and blood.

Chinese Medicine speaks about connections:
The nose is the portal to the Lungs.
The eyes are the portals to the Liver.
The mouth is the portal to the Spleen.
The tongue is the portal to the Heart.
And the ears are the portals to the Kidney.

When there is an issue with a particular sense organ, there is a connection with an internal organ system. For example, continuing with our example of seasonal allergies: the eyes being a portal to Liver, the itchy watery eyes speak of congestion within the Liver system. Some of the function of the Liver includes cleansing the Blood. The phlegm that is generated by the immune system is sticky stuff and must be dealt with by the Liver.
The stuffy nose and sneezing, this speaks of the phlegm accumulating in the Lungs. Chinese Medicine states that the Lungs dominate the defensive Qi. When the defensive energies are weak, the body may over react to perceived pathogens with the big guns, thus creating an allergic reaction.

Additionally, Chinese Medicine recognizes the meridians of the body as pathways of energy flow pertaining to various organs. Where there is a problem, says something about that meridian. The sinus congestion relates to the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. So issues of allergies may have a contributing factor from the Stomach and Large Intestine functions as well.

So, to sum up: seasonal allergies, hay fever, sinusitis is a situation of phlegm obstruction. This phlegm is a product of a sub-optimal Spleen system. There is an obstruction in the nasal cavities, the portal of the Lungs. There is related obstruction in the flow of the Liver causing itchy watery eyes, and blockage and accumulation of toxins in the colon, manifesting as pressure build up in the sinus.

Thus the goal of treating allergies is strengthening the function of these systems. Starting with symptomatic relief, acupuncture can be very effective in opening up the nasal passages, draining the sinus congestion, restoring proper breathing, clearing up the muzziness in the head.

Long term relief and prevention and overcoming allergies involve changing the internal environment. The Spleen and Lung functions must be fortified. The Spleen does not like foods that create dampness, such as greasy food, fried food, rich food, sweet food, and refined flour. Additionally, the Spleen function is hampered by overconsumption of cold food, (think iced-beverages) the Spleen benefits from whole grains, and vegetables that have been quickly cooked, but not overcooked.

The Lungs and Large Intestines benefit from aromatic pungent foods, like onions, garlic, scallions, ginger, and spices. The Liver benefits from foods that have a strong tart or sour taste, like lemons, berries.

Additionally, Chinese herbal medicine that addresses correction of these organs is absolutely essential in getting out of a state of being allergic.

A course of treatment with acupuncture is 10 sessions. It is best to have acupuncture more frequently in the early stages of treatment and then decrease frequency with time. Often times symptoms of allergies will resolve within that time, continuing with herbs and regular maintenance acupuncture treatments.

Justin Burkett, is a licensed acupuncturist and Master of Oriental Medicine with a practice onboard Carnival Conquest, sailing from Galveston, TX. He writing a book on an integrated approach toward natural health called, "Healthy People Don't Need Medicine". He is proud to be part of a tradition of medicine that is truly a treasure of world knowledge that stretches back across time and around the world.

To find a qualified licensed acupuncturist in your area, click here.
To learn more about herbs for allergies, click here.
You can learn more about Justin’s practice here.
To receive the podcast, "your chinese medicine minute" click here
You can sign up to receive regular updates here.