Category Archives: Natural Remedy

Natural Remedy to Stay Hydrated and Happy When its Cold Out

I don’t know about you but this winter has already been cold and long for me. I just can’t seem to stay hydrated. Just the thought of drinking some (room temp) water makes me feel cold! I know many people have been complaining of headaches lately and I’m sure lack of hydration plays a part in this. My lips are in constant need of chapstick too.

This is a quick and easy way to stay hydrated and uplift your spirits.

Drinking too much coffee and tea can have a dehydrating effect on your system. Here’s what I’ve been doing.

I’ve been drinking mug fulls of warm to hot water with a drop of citrus fresh.

The warm water feels good inside and out and the citrus fresh has an uplifting scent if this weather has you feeling down. Citrus fresh contains lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, manderin, and spearmint. This blend tastes good and help you crave extra hydration especially if you find it harder to get water in during the winter months.

This is what the Essential Oils Desk Reference also has to say about citrus fresh.

“Stimulates the right brain to amplify creativity and well-being as well as eradicate anxiety and works well as an air purifier. University researchers in Japan found that diffusing a citrus fragrence in an office environment improve mental accuracy and concentration by 54%.”

Citrus oils are high in limonene that help to prevent damage to DNA and can also help with swelling and dampness in the body if you are retaining water.

You could also simply put fresh slices of oranges or lemons into your water. What I love about using essential oils instead is that they are super portable so you can bring them with you wherever you go, concentrated and they don’t go bad like fruit does. You can order oils here.   If you need help ordering oils just let me know!

Acupressure for Getting Rid of Cold

Winter is a rough season for many people that suffer from chronic pain, especially pain that is worse in the cold. In Chinese Medicine we call pain an obstruction or blockage and classify the pain based on environmental factors: heat, cold, dampness, dryness and wind. Whatever environmental factors make the pain worse are usually the culprits behind the pain and sometimes its more then one like wind, cold and dampness, for example.

Luckily, there are acu-points that work at removing the factor causing the pain. If you are waking up with sore, stiff,  joints and they seem to be worse now that we’ve settled into winter try doing a little acupressure.

The point to remove cold is poetically named ‘clear cold abyss’ and is located on the san jiao or triple warmer meridian.

To find this point bend your elbow and slide your finger from the tip of your elbow up towards your shoulder just an inch of so. When you extend your elbow their will be a tiny hollow your finger will fall into if you are on the right spot and it might feel achy or tender to the touch if you’ve been really sore or stiff.

Once you’ve found the spot gently massage tiny circles for about a minute on both elbows. You can do this as often as you need to.

Natural Remedy for Leg Cramps

Leg Cramps at Night? Try sleeping with a bar of soap in bed!

One of my yoga students awhile back shared that putting a bar of soap in bed while you sleep can help prevent night time charley horses. A bar of soap in bed can help leg cramps?

Sounds a little crazy even to me! Apparently this is an old remedy that many people swear by. I had to dig around and see what the fuss was all about. Here is what I found:

Snopes has yet to confirm or deny that the bar of soap in your bed works. 

At the peoplespharmacy they took a poll with 485 votes and got a 4.35 star on a 5 star scale.  One thing I read here that I really found interesting was that the bar of soap needs to be changed every couple of months or it will stop working.

I have recommended this several times to patients during acupuncture treatments and on a few occasions other patients have chimed in that they use it and it works as well. One patient recommended if the cramps are really bad, especially in the toes to take the bar of soap and massage it over the area in spasm for fast relief.


If you are having leg cramps or restless legs grab a bar of ivory or Irish spring soap and unwrap it and put in underneath your bottom sheet. Let me know how it works! 🙂

Natural Remedy for Phlegm

I’ve shared this recipe before and it seemed fitting to share again with all the damp weather we’ve been having and for those of you still recovering from a Thanksgiving food hangover. In Chinese Medicine when dampness sits for a long time it will congeal into phelgm and/or cause heat in the body.

If my daughter has congestion or a cough sometimes the only thing I can get her to eat are cooked pears, her body knows why. 😉 I’ve also used this a time or too and felt some immediate relief.

This is a remedy from senior acupuncturist Miriam Lee.

What you need: 

1 winter pear (dark skinned variety)

* Remove skin if phelgm is white

* Leave the skin on if phlegm is yellow

1 cup of water

Directions:

Cut the pear in half, remove and discard the core. Fill the hole with appx 1 teaspoon of rock sugar. (break up the sugar if necessary) Place pear with sugar in a pot and add 1 cup of water.

Cover the pot with a lid. Boil 5-10 minutes. Eat the pear and drink the liquid.

If the congestion is deep take twice a day. If a cough is keeping you up at night take before bed. If phlegm is worst first thing in the morning take then to facilitate expectoration.

Don’t forget to tell me what you think! 🙂

Why Having Friends is Good For Your Health

Why Having Friends is Good For Your Health

I wrote this blog a few years ago but it seemed fitting to review this Thanksgiving. 🙂

The introduction to the book Outliers describes the tiny city ofRoseto, Pennsylvania and the work of Dr. Stewart Wolf. Wolf conducted studies on the town in the 1960s and found that virtually no one under the age of fifty-five had died of a heart attack or showed any signs of heart disease while the rest of the country was undergoing an epidemic of heart disease. The death rate of men over the age of sixty five was half of what the rest of the United States was as well. Roseto’s death rates from all causes was actually 30-35% lower then expected.
Another amazing anomaly of Roseto was that there was no suicide, no alcoholism, no drug addiction and very little crime; no one was on welfare or had peptic ulcers. John Bruhn a sociologist involved in the studies stated, “These people were dying of old age. That’s it.” Wolf discovered that Rosetans were not on a special, healthier diet then other Americans either. Incredibly Rosetans took in 41% of their calories from fat. Rosetans also smoked heavily and many were overweight. Genetics also didn’t seem to be a factor.
Wolf discovered that the secret to Rosetans good health was their lifestyle. They lived 3 generations to a house and respected their elders deeply. Neighbors took the time to visit with each other and went out of their way to cook meals and simply support one another. In the 1950s when the medical community was used to the paradigm that our health depended on our genes and our individual lifestyle (perhaps it still is) it was nearly mind boggling to consider how the collective impacted not only the individual but the community as well.
I was excited to read these findings and thrilled at the book Outliersby Malcolm Gladwell (it’s an interesting read). What thrilled me most was the importance of community to our health. This is exactly the intention of Neighborhood Acupuncture Place’s approach to wellness by doing acupuncture in a shared space. The ancients have always prized community as a pillar of quality life.
Our society has more access to communication in a variety of ways and yet we have less and less physical contact. We know that if a baby has all of its needs met: food, clothing and shelter with the exception of being touched enough he will die. I can’t find any evidence that suggests that the need for touch, for understanding and companionship disappears as we get older. The majority of marketing these days convinces us that we need the “purple pill” to feel better, we own our IBS instead of our healthy bodies. It is through our diseases that we receive attention, feel loved and find identity. The goal of (community) acupuncture is the exact opposite. Through self awareness and a quiet space one can experience the body’s innate ability to heal itself. It is through the support of others that our health soars, as it is through supporting others that our health soars.

 

Natural Remedy: Coconut Oil

Benefits of Coconut Oil

I originally posted this a couple years ago but its worth revisiting. Coconut oil is awesome and its white which means its especially great for the fall and lung/large intestine!

You may have heard me recommend coconut oil for a wide variety of ailments. I just came across this reference for many of coconut oils uses. Click the link or see below. I personally use coconut oil for rashes, moisturizer, shave cream/after shave, to keep stretch marks at bay (I didn’t get any stretch marks during pregnancy) and its delicious in a stir fry! Right now due to the weather it will most likely be in a solid form when you go to use it. Either run the jar under warm water until it starts to soften or leave on a heat vent.

December 20, 2011
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80 Uses for Coconut Oil

coconut oil 80 Uses for Coconut Oil
So what’s the deal with coconut oil?
Offering a myriad of health benefits, coconut oil is affordable, readily available and completely natural. I have completely fallen in love with coconut oil and use it for EVERYTHING. Literally. I buy it in 5 gallon increments and keep it all over my house. I even have some in the car. So here is a little information to inspire you to check out this amazing oil including 80 uses for it!
General information about Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil Is:
·       Anti-inflammatory
·       Antimicrobial
·       Antifungal
·       Antiviral
·       Improves nutrient absorption
Daily Dosage:
Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage. Any good naturopath will have the information at the ready.
Weight in pounds/kilograms Number of tablespoons of coconut oil daily
175+/79+ 4
150+ /68+ 3 1/2
125+ / 57+ 3
100+/ 45+ 2 1/2
75+ / 34+ 2
50+ / 23+ 1 1/2
25+ / 11+ 1
Type to use:
·       Expeller pressed coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell of taste.
·       Virgin coconut oil tastes coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor.
·       Food grade should always be used.
80 Uses for Coconut Oil
Personal Hygiene/Body
1.       Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
2.       Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
3.       Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
4.       Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
5.       Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
6.       Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment – use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
7.       Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
8.       Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
9.       Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
10.   Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
11.   Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
12.   Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
13.   Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.
14.   Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
15.   Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
16.   Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
17.   Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
18.   Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
19.   Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20.   Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
21.   Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
22.   Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.
General Health and Wellness
24.   Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
25.   Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle.
26.   Nose bleeds – coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
27.   For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.
28.   Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
29.   Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.
Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally)
30.   Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don’t
31.   Skin problems
32.   Toenail fungus
33.   Hot flashes
34.   Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
35.   HIV
36.   Head lice
37.   Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
38.   Migraines (with regular use)
39.   Mononucleosis
40.   Parasites
41.   Thrush
42.   Relieve gallbladder pain
43.   Has helped some people improve symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
44.   Energy boost
45.   Flaky, dry skin
46.   May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
47.   Adrenal fatigue
48.   Alzheimers
49.   H. pylori
50.   Candida albicans
51.   Asthma, even in children
52.   Autism
53.   Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to HDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
54.   Chronic fatigue
55.   Circulation/feeling cold all the time
56.   Stronger immune system
57.   Mental Clarity
58.   Depression
59.   Helps with inflammation in Crohns
Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically)
60.   Athletes foot
61.   Back pain/sore muscles
62.   Canker sores
63.   Acne
64.   Cellulite
65.   Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
66.   Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
67.   Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.
Cooking
68.   Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
69.   Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
70.   Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.
71.   Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.
Other Uses
72.   Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
73.   Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
74.   Goo Gone – just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
75.   Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
76.   Polish Furniture – coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
77.   Polishing Bronze – all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
78.   Seasoning animal hide drums
79.   Seasoning cookware
80.   Moisturizing and cleaning leather products
Did I miss any? Do you use coconut oil for something not on my list? Please add it in the comments. I am always excited to find new ways to implement coconut oil!
Blessings,
Jennifer
Virgin Coconut Oil:
How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours!
BVCNOcover 80 Uses for Coconut Oil
freecoconutrecipes 80 Uses for Coconut Oil

Natural Remedy for Winter Blues

In Chinese Medicine it is pretty clear that the body is interconnected. When one organ or
channel becomes imbalanced, the rest will start to become imbalanced as well. This is the
same reason why an acu point on the top of the foot can be used on the opposite side of the
body to treat a one sided headache.
Modern medicine is catching up to ancient wisdom.
Wayne Dyer reports that in recent Swedish study of serotonin levels people who extend acts of kindness raise their serotonin levels. Not only does the person acting kindly towards someone feel the effect, the person receiving kindness and those witnessing kindness also receive a boost in serotonin levels. 
How is that for interconnectedness? 🙂 Help someone, feel good! Accept help from someone, feel good! Watch someone help someone else, feel good!

I felt so impacted by this notion of raising serotonin levels that I made it a practice to be as kind as I could to those around me. Not only did my mood improve, I also felt like I had more energy, that I smiled more for no reason, that life didn’t seem so stressful. What did it really cost me to give the man standing on the off ramp of the freeway the leftovers of the lunch I couldn’t finish, or reaching for a bag of rice for a woman too short to reach it at the grocery store, cleaning the toilet that hadn’t been washed in a month (instead of arguing about who’s turn it was), leaving a couple extra bucks for a waitress, the list could continue. The most amazing impact of this experiment that I found was that people, strangers, began extending the same kind of kindness to me in small ways, in large ways. I have become acutely aware of the goodness returning in my life ten-fold.

Imagine the impact you could have, not only in your own life, but in all the lives around you if you started to look for the small acts of kindness around you instead of the disasters, if you consciously made an effort to be kind, or if you consciously made an effort to receive kindness. Remember its the little things in life that can make the most difference. *And a friendly reminder to all of you that are used to being on the giving side: learn how to receive!  🙂

If you are prone to feeling down in the winter months, change your perspective or check out yesterdays blog on our winter blue’s meditation. 🙂 If you are feeling isolated find a way to build community: take a class, volunteer, try something you’ve never done before.

Let me know about your random acts of kindness. Share a comment here or on the facebook page. I’d love to hear about it!

Natural Remedy for Postpartum Support

At the start of this week I mentioned mother-warming and that’s what we are going to talk about today for this week’s installment of Natural Remedy for postpartum support.

Cultures from around the world use a tradition of keeping the mother warm after child birth even in the warmer months of the year to protect the uterus and health of the mother. This is ideally done 4-6 days after birth.

Mother warming is a technique used to gently nourish the body, helping to tone the uterus and aid recovery after birth at a time when a woman needs to regain her strength to care for her newborn and establish breast feeding.

Small needles are inserted into points on the body that create a feeling of calm and relaxation. While resting with the needles, the acupuncturist will use a Chinese herb called mugwort over acu-points creating a gentle heat  that puts a lovely warmth through the lower abdominal area.

Benefits can include strengthening the center, promoting lactation, preventing baby blues and boosting energy.

Mothering warming can also be combined with a ceremony known as “closing the bones” where a rebozo is used to gently “squeeze” the body. This helps with energetically realigning the body after birth and can feel very nurturing and soothing. Belly binding is also a nice addition after mother warming is performed to keep the body warm and supported.

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TERMS OF USE:
Medical & Health Information

Any information on this blog is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, cure, or treat any illness or disease: it has not been evaluated by the FDA. Neither are the products mentioned on this website meant to do the same: they have been evaluated by the FDA. Information here is strictly for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please seek a qualified health professional of your choice when making health choices for yourself or any member of your family – pets included. By proceeding to read articles / posts, look at pictures, watch videos, contact Sarah Canga, and listen to audios you agree and accept these terms.

Natural Remedy for Sleep

Here is a natural remedy for sleep that has no negative side effects, is not addictive (at least not in a negative way), and requires no fancy equipment or training.

Constructive Rest Pose is said to be the equivalent to 2 hours of sleep when held for 10 minutes. Give this a try when you’ve had a rough night’s sleep, when you are having trouble falling asleep, or as a part of your every day routine to feel more rested, focused, and alert. If you notice midafternoon fatigue use 5-10 minutes of your lunch break to practice constructive rest pose.

How to do it:

 

Lay on a flat surface with your knees bent. Bring your feet out about shoulder width apart. Turn your toes in (slightly pigeon toed) If there is any discomfort in your lower back walk your feet either further away from your body or closer to your body depending on what feels better to you. Slide your shoulders down away from your ears and rest with your arms at your sides just far enough away from your body so that your palms can comfortably rest racing up. Slide your chin slightly towards your chest to lengthen the back of the neck. Close your eyes and practice deep breathing for 5-10 minutes.

To come out of the pose:

Take a stretch if you feel its needed. Protect your back and roll onto your side. Rest for a moment on your side if you aren’t fully alert and when ready press yourself back to a seated posture.

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Natural Remedy for Staying Grounded

I’ve had lots on my mind lately. Apparently I’m not alone or the theme of the week wouldn’t be on staying grounded! 🙂

Sunday I met a friend and her son for a walk at Cuba Marsh and it was there that I knew we needed to talk about nature and movement this week. When you are feeling out of sorts the best thing you can do for yourself and your sanity is to turn the computer/cell phone/every electronic you own OFF and get outside ASAP. If you are feeling a little “crunchy-granola” touch a tree, hug it, sniff it even. Ha! But seriously get some fresh air and let your feet make contact with the Earth. There is no better grounding then that, at least in my humble opinion.

In regards to Chinese Medicine it is encouraged to spend some time outside no matter the season. This is important because it helps your body adapt to the climate. My mother and her friends tell me all the time how they would bundle their babies up put them in a buggy (a stroller if you’ve never heard of the term buggy) full of blankets and let them take their nap outside. I don’t know about a nap but a few minutes a day with the proper clothing is definitely not a bad idea.

 

If you are struggling to stay grounded because of worry or over thinking.  Get out into some fresh air and walk. When you move the opposite arm with the opposite leg (how you probably normally walk anyway) it works both sides of your brain and stops the cycle of obsessive thought. Some fresh air and new scenery will give you a new perspective as well.

What do you do to stay grounded? I’d love to hear about it. 🙂