My-oh-my! March was quite a month. March was formerly known as the snowiest month of the year. This year we broke the record for earliest 80 degree day on March 17th. It's the first time we hit 80 degrees before Las Vegas did! The average first 80 degree day in Minneapolis is May 1st.
And now April is already upon us with the tulips in bloom, the garlic is reaching for the sky, and the red, red, rhubarb is preparing itself for pie!
The longer days of spring have a way of illuminating the dust that has collected on all surfaces of our homes. Spring cleaning feels good - getting everything clean and tidy. And it's not just our homes that need a good cleaning, but our bodies benefit from a deep cleaning as well.
The spring wind is kicking up and swirling about - bringing with it a bit of mayhem. Don't miss learning about the TCM view of the wind and all of its mischief-making.
There's a chia seed rival going on, and I don't mean the Chia Pets either! An easy chocolate chia pudding rounds out this April's newsletter. |
Spring Cleaning. . .
Detoxifying the Safe and Effective Way
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 Many people turn to cleanses/detox programs when spring arrives. Spring is all about renewal, so it is an ideal time to dedicate a week to improving your health with a safe detox. Dandelions in bloom are always a sign that I need to mark the calendar, and Dan and I plan out our clean-living menus.
It's important to differentiate between a cleanse and a detox. Cleanses typically focus on a particular organ, i.e. the large intestine whereas a detoxification program will focus on aiding the liver in its ability to draw out toxins stored in your fat and tissues. The liver is the organ of detoxification, so you don't really cleanse the liver - you just give it great cleaning products (i.e., lemon and cruciferous vegetables). Be very cautious when considering an over-the-counter boxed detox package. You can do a great deal more harm than good if the detox is done incorrectly.
If you are considering a detox this spring I would love to work with you on it. In addition to your acupuncture appointment to support your liver's function, I will go over what foods to include, what foods to avoid, the importance of rest and bodywork, and address any other concerns you may have. Plus I have a great handout on detoxifying to keep you on track!
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Wind. . .the Mother of 10,000 Diseases
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 | | Galaxie Drive by Sarah Wieben |
In Minnesota we have 10,000 lakes, but in Chinese medicine "wind is the mother of 10,000 diseases."
One of the reasons I was attracted to Chinese medicine in the first place is because it's a medicine based in nature. With all of our technological advances, we sometimes forget that we are a part of nature too. All of the elements in nature such as heat, cold and wind can manifest in our bodies too. Cold can lodge in your muscles, heat rashes redden your skin, but the wind takes the cake with its wide variety of symptoms produced.
When symptoms move around your body - that's the wind. Tremors in the body are like leaves on a tree being shaken by the wind. The wind is a mighty player in allergic symptoms. Dizziness and vertigo are signs of wind harassing the head. Sleeping with a window open in your bedroom can allow the wind cold to attack your neck, and you'll wake up with a painful crick in your neck.
Each of the five main organ systems in Chinese medicine (liver, kidney, heart, spleen and lung), energetically speaking, have many responsibilities and associations. Each organ has a color, flavor, time of year, and time of day associated with it (plus many, many more associations). The Liver organ is associated with the spring time. When the Liver is out of balance you'll feel stuck, irritable, depressed and out of sorts. So when the spring winds are swirling about, they make the Liver symptoms all the worse. Thankfully, an acupuncture session or two with me can smooth out your symptoms and get you feeling like yourself again.
Needless to say, it's important to keep your neck and head covered to protect yourself from the wind, especially the cool wind of spring. I have become a huge fan of scarves, and rarely do I go out on a windy day without a pretty scarf about my neck.
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Chia Seed Revival
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 Chia seeds are the "new" superfood. They recently came to my attention as they were floating around in a bottle of Synergy Kombucha. I do enjoy a Synergy on occasion, but the chia seeds looked a little off-putting. Then Monica, our office manager at Avenues of Health, bought a bottle of Cherry Chia Synergy. She poured a little taste for me, and the chia seeds weren't so bad. The label says that "raw chia = raw energy," so I had to do a little investigating.
To call chia seeds a superfood almost seems like an understatement! These teeny tiny seeds are full of minerals: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Chia seeds are the richest plant-based source of Omega-3s (needed for heart health). They are a complete protein, help to balance blood sugar, and are abundant in anti-oxidants and fiber. What more could you want???
Chia seeds are very versatile in the kitchen too. They absorb up to nine times their weight in liquid. It's no wonder that they make you feel more full. To make a chia gel you can soak two tablespoons of chia seeds in one cup of water, stir and let sit for 15 minutes. Substitute milk, nut milk, homemade stock, vegetable juice, or whatever other liquid suits your fancy. Soaking two tablespoons of chia seed in one cup of liquid yields a thick gel. Add the chia gel to drinks, salads, smoothies, etc.
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Recipe of the Month
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Chocolate Chia Pudding
 Finally, a chocolate pudding that is tasty but doesn't have a ton of sugar in it, and it benefits your health as well as your taste buds. Be aware that chocolate chia pudding's texture is much more like tapioca than a traditional pudding.
And it's super easy to make.
For two servings:
1 1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon of Bittercube Bitters Orange (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, whisk together, let sit for 10 minutes and whisk again. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Garnish with shaved chocolate, berries or unsweetened shaved coconut.
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As Always. . .
Your First Wealth Is Health, Katherine Krumwiede, L.Ac. Diamond Stone Oriental Medicine, Inc. 612 872 9133
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Tip of the Month
Why am I doing that point?
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I discovered a great website named AcuTake that was founded by Sara Calabro, an acupuncturist, writer and photographer based in Eugene, Oregon. She has great articles on her site, and you'll love this first one on "Why am I doing that point?"
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Newsletter Archive
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There's a wealth of health-inducing information contained in past issues of my newsletter.
Newsletter Archive
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Gift Certificates Are Available
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Give the gift of good health to your friends and family.
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The Benefits
of Acupuncture
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De-stress
Alleviate pain
Improve concentration levels
Lift the cloud
of depression
Get a better night's sleep
Improve digestion
Boost energy levels
Insure success with smoking cessation
Excellent preventative medicine
And many more. . .
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