In Chinese Medicine moxa-bustion is especially popular in fall and winter, when it is used to warm the channels and strengthen the organ complexes, especially the Adrenal-Digestive axis (Kidney-Spleen).
In fact, it is so much a part of our work, that in Chinese, Acupuncturists are actually called Acupuncture-Moxabustionists.
There are hundreds of varieties of moxa. One is the stick type you can get at any Chinese Herb shop. What you do is light a moxabustion stick and hold it close enough to your skin so as to feel heat without burning. Do this at the locations Zu San Li, San Yin Jiao, Qi Hai and Zhong Wan. Have someone else do it at the space between your physical Kidneys around the 2nd Lumbar vertabrae. What I do in my acupuncture practice here in San Diego is show people the locations, so they can do it at home, first thing in the morning, once or twice a weak.
Acupuncture "points" are actually caves. They are depressions in the surface of the body where the Qi of the channels is easily influenced. The idea is to warm these spaces gradually and deeply; moxa-bustion should feel pleasant, even wonderful. Regular moxabustion (once a fortnight) before and during the winter season will prevent colds and remedy arthritic and other types of pains. In most circumstances application of moxa is beneficial anywhere there is pain. If it feels good, do it!
Moxa sticks are cheap--a dollar for a large cigar sized stick of compressed "moxa" (common name mugwort, latin artemesia vulgaris, Mandarin Chinese ai ye ). To extinguish your moxa stick dip the burning end into some water or sand. Break this carbonized part off next use. Moxa is one of the best self-help tools in Chinese medicine.
Here is a link to a great FB page with everything you ever wanted to know about classical usage and current research on the topic
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moxibustion-The-Power-of-Mugwort-Fire/127985768455
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With PermissionAyurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diegohttp://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Once again, a reason to exercise. Once again, research that shows that a daily walk might be just as good, and with a lot less stress on the joints, than a daily jog.
"But a cautiously encouraging new study from The Archives of Neurology suggests that for some people, a daily walk or jog could alter the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or change the course of the disease if it begins."
from the NY Times, today,
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/how-exercise-may-keep-alzheimers-at-bay/?src=me&ref=general
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
"But a cautiously encouraging new study from The Archives of Neurology suggests that for some people, a daily walk or jog could alter the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or change the course of the disease if it begins."
from the NY Times, today,
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/how-exercise-may-keep-alzheimers-at-bay/?src=me&ref=general
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Yoga for Narcissists?
Interesting dialogue on Yoga in the NY Times today. Its kind of harsh to refer to current American yoga that way, but its not entirely untrue; after all its a rather narcissistic society.
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/12/is-yoga-for-narcissists/when-high-achievers-do-yoga
live in downtown New York City, where yoga studios are as common as espresso bars. Now we read that people driven into those studios by the stress of their lives often emerge with physical injuries from the stress of the contortions they are asked to perform there. What did you expect? When you gather a group of high-achieving residents of a city whose motto might as well be, "Other people are working harder than you!", and command them to perform in a room full of mirrors, people are going to hurt themselves trying to be the best in class. The word "yoga" means "to yoke": your mind to your body, not your instructor’s. The Hippocratic Oath should also apply to yoga: first, do no harm.
Yoga was never meant to be a competitive sport, like ice hockey. But when it spread to this robustly competitive nation, where it got turbocharged by money -- the U.S. yoga market is worth $6 billion a year -- its original meaning got dispersed. What is now called for is a broader understanding of the meaning of yoga.
The yoga that most Americans are aware of is hatha yoga, only one (and perhaps the least important) of the various types of yoga. Krishna in the Bhagvad-Gita defines them: karma yoga (the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion) and jnana yoga (the yoga of knowledge). Volunteering at a soup kitchen is yoga; raising your voice in praise in a gospel choir is yoga; trying to understand how the galaxies shift and why the poor lack shoes is also yoga.
Hatha yoga is not for everyone. The other forms are. Not everyone can -- or should -- stand on their heads, but everyone can use their heads to make the world a better place; yoke their emotions to their intelligence and feel more centered.
In this sense, the greatest teacher of yoga is not Iyengar or Bikram, but Gandhi. “The yogi is not one who sits down to practise breathing exercises,” he wrote in his interpretation of the Gita. “He is one who looks upon all with an equal eye, sees other creatures in himself.” That's one pose that will truly reduce your stress
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/12/is-yoga-for-narcissists/when-high-achievers-do-yoga
live in downtown New York City, where yoga studios are as common as espresso bars. Now we read that people driven into those studios by the stress of their lives often emerge with physical injuries from the stress of the contortions they are asked to perform there. What did you expect? When you gather a group of high-achieving residents of a city whose motto might as well be, "Other people are working harder than you!", and command them to perform in a room full of mirrors, people are going to hurt themselves trying to be the best in class. The word "yoga" means "to yoke": your mind to your body, not your instructor’s. The Hippocratic Oath should also apply to yoga: first, do no harm.
The greatest teacher of yoga is not Iyengar or Bikram, but Gandhi.
The yoga that most Americans are aware of is hatha yoga, only one (and perhaps the least important) of the various types of yoga. Krishna in the Bhagvad-Gita defines them: karma yoga (the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion) and jnana yoga (the yoga of knowledge). Volunteering at a soup kitchen is yoga; raising your voice in praise in a gospel choir is yoga; trying to understand how the galaxies shift and why the poor lack shoes is also yoga.
Hatha yoga is not for everyone. The other forms are. Not everyone can -- or should -- stand on their heads, but everyone can use their heads to make the world a better place; yoke their emotions to their intelligence and feel more centered.
In this sense, the greatest teacher of yoga is not Iyengar or Bikram, but Gandhi. “The yogi is not one who sits down to practise breathing exercises,” he wrote in his interpretation of the Gita. “He is one who looks upon all with an equal eye, sees other creatures in himself.” That's one pose that will truly reduce your stress
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Celery Root, Burdock, Brocolli, and Sea Food Miso Soup for Dinner
Chick Pea Miso Soup with Celery Root and Scallops
Ingredients
1 cup scallops or other sea food
1 cup chopped celery root
1 cup chopped burdock root
1/2 cup white, brown, or fresh shitake mushrooms
1 cup small broccoli florets
4″ piece of kombu sea veggie, cut into pieces with a scissor
4″ piece of wakame sea veggie, ditto
1-2 slices ginger root
2-3 chopped scallion
2 quarts water
1 tbsp chick pea miso paste or mellow white if unavailable
1 tbsp sweet white miso paste or more to taste
a dash of white pepper if desired
Directions
1) Bring water to boil and add the root and sea veggies. Cook on a medium high boil until the roots are soft and the wakame has dissolved into beautiful dark pieces. 2) Add the sea food and mushrooms and cook on a low boil for around 10 minutes depending on the sea food. Cook until almost all done and turn flame down to simmer.
3) Stir the miso paste into 4 oz. of water in a cup or small bowl and make a thick liquid. Add this miso liquid with the broccoli florets and scallion, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with Buckwheat Soba noodles or just by itself for a low carb alternative.
Comments
Miso is like wine. Or more closely like beer or yoghurt. It is a fermented product with lots of health attributes, that originates in Japan, the land of longevity, and is made from rice or other grains or beans. It is only as good as the producer who makes it.
Artisanal miso, which is not that expensive relative to other things, can be had at the health food coop or Whole Foods Market. Oddly, its hard to find good miso at the Japanese market in San Diego.
Simply think of miso as a vegetarian soup base. Different types of miso, depending on the artisan and the grains or legumes used in production produce varying tastes. Someday, try them all!
The easiest miso soup? Boil water; add miso. Life should be so simple.
Happy Winter!
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
7 Steps for a Healthy Winter from the Yellow Emperor
Practical Advice for Winter from the Yellow Emperor’s Classic
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
1)In winter, get plenty of rest, more than your normal amount. Cast away Puritan guilt and Cowboy pride about getting by on lack of sleep. Leave martyrdom to the religious fanatics.
2)In Winter cultivate meditative lifestyles, do Tai Qi or Yoga in a warm sunny room, meditate every morning for 15 minutes or more, be kind to your friends and loving to your family. Winter is dominated by the water element, and water is soft.
3)Conserve your sexual energy a little more in winter, depending on your age and constitution. Sexual energy is a deep energy of the kidneys; semen in men and menstrual fluids and breast milk in women are pure essences manufactured from the energy of the kidneys and blood.
If you have excessive monthly bleeding, this is treated with herbals and acupuncture. If you breast feed, make sure you nourish yourself well. If you are male, conserve your semen by transforming sexual energy into love energy, moving the energy from the lower body to the heart. The books by Mantak Chia give more information about that.
4)Stay warm. Don’t go out into the cold after bathing, and don’t go outside with wet hair. Stay in a little after bathing. So rushing out the door right after a morning shower is a really bad idea. I had one asthma patient report great improvement in her symptoms after stopping going out with wet long hair, which her grandmother had always advised against.
5)Generate heat with thermogenic foods and spices. Slightly heavier foods, like more lentils and oils if you are a vegetarian, and a little more flesh if you eat meat. All the warming spices are good, according to your constitution. Ayush brand Pro Kapha and Pro Vata Spice and Pro Kapha and Pro Vata tea are delicious and appropriate for this time of year. I like to start my day in winter with hot black tea, mixed with milk boiled with saffron, ginger, clove, cinnamon, and cardamom.
6) Avoid cold foods, especially in winter, like iced beverages, cold fluids from the frig, salads, raw foods in excess, ice cream, frozen yogurt. Forget the protein shakes and smoothies, but if you have to have them make them room temp, or figure out a hot version. How about hot soy milk, protein powder and banana with flax and a dash of honey or agave nectar?
7) Hot cereals are great, and hot soups greater–they warm you up and stimulate secretions in the nasal passages and lungs. It is very smart in winter to make soups using sea vegetables, which provide minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron, and iodine, as well as carotene and fiber. Foods from the sea are said to strengthen kidney Qi. Seafood soups in moderation are great, as fish and shellfish have the strong energy of the sea, which re-enforces the kidney energy.
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Winter in the "Nei Jing", the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Chinese Medicine
To stop for a moment and meditate on the passage of time, to feel time moving inside you, is to practice the value of the winter season, when movements appear underground, when earth’s energy has gone downward and inward. The sun too is on holiday low in the horizon, and cool Venus appears triumphant in a dazzling triangle alongside Jupiter and the waxing and waning Moon in mid-winter. To stop for a moment and meditate on the passage of time, to feel time moving inside you, is to practice the value of the winter season, when nature’s
In the Yellow Emperor’s Classic or Nei Jing Su Wen, http://www.amazon.com/Huang-Nei-Jing-Wen-Knowledge/dp/0520233220/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324613928&sr=1-1the oldest surviving classic of the Chinese medical literature, (around 200 B.C.E.),the three months of winter are called “closing and storing.” Here closing refers to the “closing” of plant life, in which the sap, or life force of plants goes deep underground. In fact, clinically, we see that in the transition from late autumn to winter, Americans, people ever-on-the-go, complain of being tired, less ambitious than usual. By the end of December many have become internalized, and start to think in terms of reform, of New Year’s resolutions.
After winter solstice the break that began in autumn is fully realized. The land turns barren. The trees and bushes, but skeletons of their former selves serve as stark reminders of the greens and yellows and reds that once were. So don’t be surprised if you have a little melancholy during this transition. But it is a transition, a movement of forces that passes, and as we reach the longest darkest nights of late December we celebrate festive holidays full of fire and light and gift giving. In fact, this cold dark time is exactly when love between people passes most freely in our society with family visits, gift giving, and acts of charity to the less advantaged.
The Nei Jing goes on to recommend going to bed early in winter, and getting up late. “Everything must be done according to the light of the sun.” Just as nights are longer, so commands our own biorhythms.
The text speaks of “exerting the will, as if buried….” This a reference to the Neolithic practice in China of living inside earthen rooms, like the sod huts of the American north mid-west, and restricting bodily movement, by necessity, as if buried, due to cold, due to enclosure, and due to the swaddling in warm clothes and blankets. We even have a phrase in English, about being buried in one’s blankets.
Winter was not a time to travel, or even to be outside that much, which is still true in places more North than San Diego, but a time to “store,” when everything that was grown in spring and summer and had been collected was used, but wisely and judiciously.
Another idea of “winter storage” is to store our Qi, especially the Qi that is lost by sweating. Contrary to the practice in summer, when our Qi likes to escape outside, when we sweat to cool ourselves, and can do so safely, in winter our Qi is stored beneath the skin, allowing it to be as concentrated as possible, acting as a barrier against infectious attack. There is a reference here to the “Wei Qi” the aspect of the immune system that protects against common cold, bronchitis, and flu.
We mustn’t deplete that Qi with excessive sweating, or do so and allow a chill. Once spring returns, the Qi that is controlled tightly within the body will be able, with assistance from loosening practices like Tai Qi and aerobic exercise, to surge out strongly again.
So paying heed to the “correspondences with the winter Qi” ensures we maintain “the storing of life.” For, “to go against this will injure the Kidney Qi causing, in spring, impotence and weakness, through insufficient supply for the production of life.”
If we live in winter as if it were summer, acting as if surrounded by hot centrifugal Yang energies, rather than cold centripetal Yin energies, our Kidney Qi will weaken, year after year, weakening our immune systems and lungs.
In Chinese medicine the Kidney energy is the root of all energies. It is the energy of development, growth, structure and reproduction. The kidneys supply the energy for the bones and teeth, for the hair of the head, for healthy sexual function, for fertility, for the immune system, for the lungs, and for wisdom. And the Kidney energy is associated with the energies of the Water Element, which is dominant in winter.
So if in Winter the Kidney energy loses its support by “counter-current” living, there will be injury and a cascade of effects. As the Lungs and immune system are taxed already in winter, there the effect will most quickly be seen, especially in folk with a tendency to Asthma, Bronchitis, Allergies, Colds, and Flu. And once you become ill, the body cant store Qi well, and in spring there will be a feeble supply for opening and growth.
In fact the cycle of the four seasons in Chinese medicine is really a metaphor for the circadian rhythms we experience on a daily basis. Winter is night, morning is spring, noon summer and evening autumn.
Practical Advice for Winter from the Yellow Emperor’s Classic
1)In winter, get plenty of rest, more than your normal amount. Cast away Puritan guilt and Cowboy pride about getting by on lack of sleep. Leave martyrdom to the religious fanatics.
2)In Winter cultivate meditative lifestyles, do Tai Qi or Yoga in a warm sunny room, meditate every morning for 15 minutes or more, be kind to your friends and loving to your family. Winter is dominated by the water element, and water is soft.
3)Conserve your sexual energy a little more in winter, depending on your age and constitution. Sexual energy is a deep energy of the kidneys; semen in men and menstrual fluids and breast milk in women are pure essences manufactured from the energy of the kidneys and blood.
If you have excessive monthly bleeding, this is treated with herbals and acupuncture. If you breast feed, make sure you nourish yourself well. If you are male, conserve your semen by transforming sexual energy into love energy, moving the energy from the lower body to the heart. The books by Mantak Chia give more information about that.
4)Stay warm. Don’t go out into the cold after bathing, and don’t go outside with wet hair. Stay in a little after bathing. So rushing out the door right after a morning shower is a really bad idea. I had one asthma patient report great improvement in her symptoms after stopping going out with wet long hair, which her grandmother had always advised against.
5)Generate heat with thermogenic foods and spices. Slightly heavier foods, like more lentils and oils if you are a vegetarian, and a little more flesh if you eat meat. All the warming spices are good, according to your constitution. Ayush brand Pro Kapha and Pro Vata Spice and Pro Kapha and Pro Vata tea are delicious and appropriate for this time of year. I like to start my day in winter with hot black tea, mixed with milk boiled with saffron, ginger, clove, cinnamon, and cardamom.
6) Avoid cold foods, especially in winter, like iced beverages, cold fluids from the frig, salads, raw foods in excess, ice cream, frozen yogurt. Forget the protein shakes and smoothies, but if you have to have them make them room temp, or figure out a hot version. How about hot soy milk, protein powder and banana with flax and a dash of honey or agave nectar?
7) Hot cereals are great, and hot soups greater–they warm you up and stimulate secretions in the nasal passages and lungs. It is very smart in winter to make soups using sea vegetables, which provide minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron, and iodine, as well as carotene and fiber. Foods from the sea are said to strengthen kidney Qi. Seafood soups in moderation are great, as fish and shellfish have the strong energy of the sea, which re-enforces the kidney energy.
Here is a recipe from my kitchen to yours.
Chick Pea Miso Soup with Celery Root and Scallops
Ingredients
1 cup scallops or other sea food
1 cup chopped celery root
1 cup chopped burdock root
1/2 cup white, brown, or fresh shitake mushrooms
1 cup small broccoli florets
4″ piece of kombu sea veggie, cut into pieces with a scissor
4″ piece of wakame sea veggie, ditto
1-2 slices ginger root
2-3 chopped scallion
2 quarts water
1 tbsp chick pea miso paste or mellow white if unavailable
1 tbsp sweet white miso paste or more to taste
a dash of white pepper if desired
Directions
1) Bring water to boil and add the root and sea veggies. Cook on a medium high boil until the roots are soft and the wakame has dissolved into beautiful dark pieces. 2) Add the sea food and mushrooms and cook on a low boil for around 10 minutes depending on the sea food. Cook until almost all done and turn flame down to simmer.
3) Stir the miso paste into 4 oz. of water in a cup or small bowl and make a thick liquid. Add this miso liquid with the broccoli florets and scallion, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with Buckwheat Soba noodles or just by itself for a low carb alternative.
Comments
Miso is like wine. Or more closely like beer or yoghurt. It is a fermented product with lots of health attributes, that originates in Japan, the land of longevity, and is made from rice or other grains or beans. It is only as good as the producer who makes it.
Artisanal miso, which is not that expensive relative to other things, can be had at the health food coop or Whole Foods Market. Oddly, its hard to find good miso at the Japanese market in San Diego.
Simply think of miso as a vegetarian soup base. Different types of miso, depending on the artisan and the grains or legumes used in production produce varying tastes. Someday, try them all!
The easiest miso soup? Boil water; add miso. Life should be so simple.
Happy Winter!
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Hormonal Acne Treatment with Acupuncture, Ayurveda, and Chinese Medicine
In a certain sense most acne is hormonal-- teenaged acne is associated with increased levels of testosterone and progesterone, and even much adult acne is associated with some kind of hormonal fluctuation, in both men and women.
The most common adult hormonal fluctuation associated with acne is the menstrual cycle. But that begs the question of why Sally gets acne with her cycle and Louisia does not. One factor is simple predisposition; some of us have oilier skin and higher testosterone levels, but a big factor, too, is stress and your reaction to it.
Role of Stress
This is mother nature's way of protecting women. She does not want you getting pregnant during times of great stress. This is a huge issue with fertility, too. Women that allow themselves to become stressed out about getting pregnant, have a much harder time getting pregnant. Not to mention the stress they already have from modern life. This is one reason why acupuncture works so well with fertility and acne; it takes you out of the stress response and into the relaxation response.
What the Face Tells You--The Geographic Distribution of Acne
What is interesting, is that when you see acne that is due to stress alone, with elevated adrenalin, but stable menstrual hormones, it typically presents on the forehead, at the temples, and on the cheeks in front of the ears.
But in young females, when you see dramatic flare-ups in acne the week or so before the period, especially that improves after bleeding, you know there is a relationship to the menstrual hormones, with or without stress as a main factor. In these cases the acne is often alongside the mouth from the cheeks to the chin.
Menstural Hormones vs. Stress Hormones
When we see this pattern of acne, and when we see acne anywhere on the face or back that is dramatically worse premenstrualy, or occurs only premenstrualy, then this points us towards a particular pattern of acupuncture treatment to regulate the Chong and Ren extraordinary channels and herbal therapy that restores balance to the hormones, as well choosing a treatment that clears damp-heat and nourishes the blood in the skin.
On the other hand, when you see acne along the side of the face, in front of the ears up to the temples, especially if it is unchanged through the cycle, it is generally stress induced. %his is a completely different pattern, requiring a different acupuncture and herbal treatment one that clears "damp-heat from the liver and gall bladder channel," using the Dai vessel and points like San Yin Jiao.
Different Pattern, Different Treatment
So each pattern will require different acupuncture point locations, and in the case of pre-menstrual acne, you must treat twice a month, just before ovulation and a week to 10 days before menstruation. If there are cramps and other problems with the bleeding we may do acupuncture treatment or cupping with the bleeding.
Herbal Therapies
Herbal prescriptions are tailored in the same way. For severe cases of cystic acne on the face and or back, unrelated to the cycle, and/or in men, I always use Neem Plus, a product that contains Neem extract (not the whole leaf, but the leaf that has been cook with triphala, the tradtional and correct way, to reduce toxicity and maximize absorption and make it safe for long term use, otherwise Neem will aggravate Vata and Kapha due to its very strong cold energy).
If the bowels are not moving, you must address that, which I typically do with diet and Triphala. Good Triphala should taste bitter, astringent, salty, spicy, sour and sweet all at once. But more astringent than anything else.
If there is Liver/Gall Bladder toxicity, I like to address this with Chinese Herb prescriptions, such as Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. I only use Blue Poppy brand herbs in this case, because they are tested for heavy metal and pesticide residue and I can see those reports.
For young women with menstrual irregularity and acne I often use Young Fem, by Ayush, and may combine that with Neem or a Chinese herb formula, depending on the pattern.
The disease is the unhealthy plant growing in the soil. The soil is the person.
To cure the disease in a plant, the first thing you do is check the soil. Then you cut off the diseased branches and spray what medicines you will. But the foundation of a garden is the soil. And my idea of being a physician is that I am a gardener and my patients are the garden.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
The most common adult hormonal fluctuation associated with acne is the menstrual cycle. But that begs the question of why Sally gets acne with her cycle and Louisia does not. One factor is simple predisposition; some of us have oilier skin and higher testosterone levels, but a big factor, too, is stress and your reaction to it.
Role of Stress
Stress increases nervous system activity and adrenalin, which set in motion cascades of hormonal and neurotransmitter repercussions, not the least of which involve the adrenal glands and ovaries. When the adrenal glands get overstimulated, this in turn sends messages that suppress ovarian function. Progesterone and estrogen levels become unstable.
This is mother nature's way of protecting women. She does not want you getting pregnant during times of great stress. This is a huge issue with fertility, too. Women that allow themselves to become stressed out about getting pregnant, have a much harder time getting pregnant. Not to mention the stress they already have from modern life. This is one reason why acupuncture works so well with fertility and acne; it takes you out of the stress response and into the relaxation response.
What the Face Tells You--The Geographic Distribution of Acne
What is interesting, is that when you see acne that is due to stress alone, with elevated adrenalin, but stable menstrual hormones, it typically presents on the forehead, at the temples, and on the cheeks in front of the ears.
But in young females, when you see dramatic flare-ups in acne the week or so before the period, especially that improves after bleeding, you know there is a relationship to the menstrual hormones, with or without stress as a main factor. In these cases the acne is often alongside the mouth from the cheeks to the chin.
Menstural Hormones vs. Stress Hormones
When we see this pattern of acne, and when we see acne anywhere on the face or back that is dramatically worse premenstrualy, or occurs only premenstrualy, then this points us towards a particular pattern of acupuncture treatment to regulate the Chong and Ren extraordinary channels and herbal therapy that restores balance to the hormones, as well choosing a treatment that clears damp-heat and nourishes the blood in the skin.
On the other hand, when you see acne along the side of the face, in front of the ears up to the temples, especially if it is unchanged through the cycle, it is generally stress induced. %his is a completely different pattern, requiring a different acupuncture and herbal treatment one that clears "damp-heat from the liver and gall bladder channel," using the Dai vessel and points like San Yin Jiao.
Different Pattern, Different Treatment
In my treatment of acne with acupuncture, Ayurveda, and Chinese herbal medicine, I have been very successful tailoring the treatment according to the geographical and temporal patterns of the skin disruption.I have also found that in all cases it is very important to correct errors in the diet, such as the consumption of ice cold beverages that lead to hot stagnation in the stomach, (the stomach's normal function is interfered with by cold things, and it overheats in response to compensate, or just fails to work properly at all, --to know if this is a factor look at your tongue and see if there is a thick greasy coat, especially a dark one).
So each pattern will require different acupuncture point locations, and in the case of pre-menstrual acne, you must treat twice a month, just before ovulation and a week to 10 days before menstruation. If there are cramps and other problems with the bleeding we may do acupuncture treatment or cupping with the bleeding.
Herbal Therapies
Herbal prescriptions are tailored in the same way. For severe cases of cystic acne on the face and or back, unrelated to the cycle, and/or in men, I always use Neem Plus, a product that contains Neem extract (not the whole leaf, but the leaf that has been cook with triphala, the tradtional and correct way, to reduce toxicity and maximize absorption and make it safe for long term use, otherwise Neem will aggravate Vata and Kapha due to its very strong cold energy).
If the bowels are not moving, you must address that, which I typically do with diet and Triphala. Good Triphala should taste bitter, astringent, salty, spicy, sour and sweet all at once. But more astringent than anything else.
If there is Liver/Gall Bladder toxicity, I like to address this with Chinese Herb prescriptions, such as Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. I only use Blue Poppy brand herbs in this case, because they are tested for heavy metal and pesticide residue and I can see those reports.
For young women with menstrual irregularity and acne I often use Young Fem, by Ayush, and may combine that with Neem or a Chinese herb formula, depending on the pattern.
The beauty and brilliance of Asian medicine, practiced in the classical way, is that we never treat a disease, we always treat a person.And each individual person has their own unique pattern that is manifesting at this point in time.
The disease is the unhealthy plant growing in the soil. The soil is the person.
To cure the disease in a plant, the first thing you do is check the soil. Then you cut off the diseased branches and spray what medicines you will. But the foundation of a garden is the soil. And my idea of being a physician is that I am a gardener and my patients are the garden.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Sea Vegetables for Health- Cleanse Lymph and Build Kidney Qi in Winter
Sea Vegetables for Health
Wild vegetables grow all over the earth and in the water. Dandelion greens, nettles, burdock are a few of the valuable and highly nutritious land vegetables that are easy to grow most anywhere.
Sea vegetables also grow both North and South. I do not know about the tropics, but all over the far north from Scotland to Nova Scotia to Siberia and Japan people have been harvesting plants from the sea since ancient times.
Lots of us are familiar now with the seaweed salad at the sushi bar. Sadly, most of the time what you are getting is sea vegetable with really bad artificial coloring. I also like to get sea veggies from suppliers, like Main Coast Sea Veggie and Eden Foods, that test for heavy metals and pesticide. What you don't want is sea weed harvested around a nuclear power plant or in a bay of the coast of an industrial zone.
An excellent vegetable for beginners to use at home is called Kombu in Japanese. The botanical name is Laminaria japonica. Laminaria is the species, japonica is a variety. You can get other kinds of Laminaria, too.
Japanese Kombu is harvested in the cold waters off of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, where it grows wild. It is harvested by hand and dried in the sun.
Kombu is rich in natural MSG, not the kind that makes you ill. As such, it enhances the flavor of mild foods like beans, rice, soup, and even oatmeal. Claims are made that it makes beans more tender. Boiled, it is served as an appetizer in Japan, with ume plum vinegar or paste. It is very beautiful served this way alongside a slice of backed Kabocha squash.
My acupuncture patient in San Diego who is a sushi chef from Kyoto taught me that make short grain rice with a piece of Kombu in it. That also provides a bit of salt. I don't otherwise salt my rice. Too much salt. I took that notion and started putting Kombu in my Oatmeal and really like eat.
Kombu is also an essential ingredient in "dashi", the basic broth Japanese use for noodle and other soups. Kombu check this
It can be stewed in vegetables, deep fried as tempura, pickled, roasted in the oven and ground into powder to be added as a flavoring on noodles or rice or soup with roasted sesame seeds (gomasio). Try it on popcorn or sushi!
Chinese Medicine
In China sea vegetables are part of the cuisine, and in Chinese Medicine Kombu and Wakame sea veggies are used medicinally in decoctions for phlegm in the lungs caused or aggravated by the heat of febrile illness, especially when there is a feeling of fullness and obstruction in the chest caused by phlegm.
Because of their ability to soften hardness and reduce swelling, Kombu and Wakame are also excellent in cases of chronic lymphatic swelling such as you see with colds/flus/bronchitis, especially in which the person remains sick long after the initial illness, and has a swollen, painful throat, hard to swallow, and/or swollen lymph nodes. In Asia they are still used to treat scrofula and goiter; of course they are also high in iodine.
In my opinion Sea Veggies are excellent as food for those hot damp types that are prone to lipomas and various skin growths; as they decongest the lymphatic system, reduce swelling, and clear heat, they are excellent for people with chronic acne, eczema, or psoriasis.
While Sea Vegetables are very good year round (see my earlier entry on Arame Summer Salad) they are an excellent late autumn/winter food. They are said in Chinese Medicine to help strengthen the Kidney energy. Our body's Qi has a seasonal bio-rhythm--that makes it circulates in the Kidneys during Winter. We also tend to eat more heavy and warming food in the winter, so sea veggies are one of the ways to prevent congestion of the tissues and channels.
Ayurveda
Ayuvedically it is an excellent food for removing Ama/Digestive Toxins from the body, and for decongesting the lymphatic system and pacifying all three doshas--Vatta by its smooth, salty, softening quality, Kapha by its light decongesting quality, and Pitta by its soft, cooling nature. To be sure, this depends on moderate use within the context of a dosha appropriate diet.
Western Nutrition:
3.3 gms contains
potassium 170 mg
sodium 90 mg (that is only 4% of the DV)
fiber 1 gm
carb 1 gm
iodine 100% of DV
magnesium 6% of DV
calcium 2% of DV
How to Use:
Beans, Stews, Soups, Grains--Just put a small piece in with the other dry ingredient and boil away. Start small and get bigger with experience. I find I use about a 6x3" piece for a pound beans or a large soup, half that for a small pot of rice or oatmeal.
Dashi -- Japanese Soup Stock for Noodles or Miso
Salad
to be continued.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Wild vegetables grow all over the earth and in the water. Dandelion greens, nettles, burdock are a few of the valuable and highly nutritious land vegetables that are easy to grow most anywhere.
Sea vegetables also grow both North and South. I do not know about the tropics, but all over the far north from Scotland to Nova Scotia to Siberia and Japan people have been harvesting plants from the sea since ancient times.
Lots of us are familiar now with the seaweed salad at the sushi bar. Sadly, most of the time what you are getting is sea vegetable with really bad artificial coloring. I also like to get sea veggies from suppliers, like Main Coast Sea Veggie and Eden Foods, that test for heavy metals and pesticide. What you don't want is sea weed harvested around a nuclear power plant or in a bay of the coast of an industrial zone.
An excellent vegetable for beginners to use at home is called Kombu in Japanese. The botanical name is Laminaria japonica. Laminaria is the species, japonica is a variety. You can get other kinds of Laminaria, too.
Japanese Kombu is harvested in the cold waters off of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, where it grows wild. It is harvested by hand and dried in the sun.
Kombu is rich in natural MSG, not the kind that makes you ill. As such, it enhances the flavor of mild foods like beans, rice, soup, and even oatmeal. Claims are made that it makes beans more tender. Boiled, it is served as an appetizer in Japan, with ume plum vinegar or paste. It is very beautiful served this way alongside a slice of backed Kabocha squash.
My acupuncture patient in San Diego who is a sushi chef from Kyoto taught me that make short grain rice with a piece of Kombu in it. That also provides a bit of salt. I don't otherwise salt my rice. Too much salt. I took that notion and started putting Kombu in my Oatmeal and really like eat.
Kombu is also an essential ingredient in "dashi", the basic broth Japanese use for noodle and other soups. Kombu check this
It can be stewed in vegetables, deep fried as tempura, pickled, roasted in the oven and ground into powder to be added as a flavoring on noodles or rice or soup with roasted sesame seeds (gomasio). Try it on popcorn or sushi!
Chinese Medicine
In China sea vegetables are part of the cuisine, and in Chinese Medicine Kombu and Wakame sea veggies are used medicinally in decoctions for phlegm in the lungs caused or aggravated by the heat of febrile illness, especially when there is a feeling of fullness and obstruction in the chest caused by phlegm.
Because of their ability to soften hardness and reduce swelling, Kombu and Wakame are also excellent in cases of chronic lymphatic swelling such as you see with colds/flus/bronchitis, especially in which the person remains sick long after the initial illness, and has a swollen, painful throat, hard to swallow, and/or swollen lymph nodes. In Asia they are still used to treat scrofula and goiter; of course they are also high in iodine.
In my opinion Sea Veggies are excellent as food for those hot damp types that are prone to lipomas and various skin growths; as they decongest the lymphatic system, reduce swelling, and clear heat, they are excellent for people with chronic acne, eczema, or psoriasis.
While Sea Vegetables are very good year round (see my earlier entry on Arame Summer Salad) they are an excellent late autumn/winter food. They are said in Chinese Medicine to help strengthen the Kidney energy. Our body's Qi has a seasonal bio-rhythm--that makes it circulates in the Kidneys during Winter. We also tend to eat more heavy and warming food in the winter, so sea veggies are one of the ways to prevent congestion of the tissues and channels.
Ayurveda
Ayuvedically it is an excellent food for removing Ama/Digestive Toxins from the body, and for decongesting the lymphatic system and pacifying all three doshas--Vatta by its smooth, salty, softening quality, Kapha by its light decongesting quality, and Pitta by its soft, cooling nature. To be sure, this depends on moderate use within the context of a dosha appropriate diet.
Western Nutrition:
3.3 gms contains
potassium 170 mg
sodium 90 mg (that is only 4% of the DV)
fiber 1 gm
carb 1 gm
iodine 100% of DV
magnesium 6% of DV
calcium 2% of DV
How to Use:
Beans, Stews, Soups, Grains--Just put a small piece in with the other dry ingredient and boil away. Start small and get bigger with experience. I find I use about a 6x3" piece for a pound beans or a large soup, half that for a small pot of rice or oatmeal.
Dashi -- Japanese Soup Stock for Noodles or Miso
Salad
to be continued.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Ayuvedic Guidlines for Avoiding Colds and Flu in Winter
Ayurvedic Guidelines to Prevent Colds
Cold Foods/Warm Foods. Avoid cold foods like ice cream and yogurt. Some yogurt is fine at noon, but not at night. Follow the general Ayurvedic advice to drink liquids room temperature or warm/hot. If you drink milk, drink it hot, simmered with ginger root, cardamom, or clove. Mediterranean Sage Tea is excellent for warming up after being out in the cold. Get it at Greek, Persian, or Arab markets.
Fruit: Stick to apples, pears, and other seasonal or dried fruits like dates. Stewed fruits like cranberry sauce and apple sauce are good. Again, try using spices. Avoid bananas, as these are quite cooling. (They are good in Summer though!)
Veggies: Avoid cold veggies like cucumber, raw tomato, salads. These are "cold" foods that dampen Agni. In Summer they are fine, because Agni is naturally strong then. There are regional exceptions. A long hike in the desert sun in San Diego might lead to a small amount of cucumber with lunch, for example.
Favor warming veggies like baked hard squash, root veggies like daikon and parsnip, and as always, green leafy veggies, lightly cooked. Drink lots of soup! Soups are easy to digest and moisten and lubricate the mucosa in the nose and throat, making it harder for Rhino viruses to penetrate. This is a good time for warming fish or meat soups with veggies in them like bouillabaisse made with salmon, or chicken soup with garlic and onion and dill.
Spices: Keep your insides warm with thermogenic spices. Cumin is an excellent burner of Ama. So are ginger, black pepper, coriander, oregano, thyme, sage, fenugreek, fennel. If you drink milk, drink it hot simmered with ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon. Add tea and you have Masala Chai!
Tumeric is an excellent spice that builds immunity and reduces Ama. So is fresh ginger. Use them in lentils, beans, meats and veggies. Any Indian cookbook or cook website will have great recipes. Substitute black pepper for chili pepper unless you are very Kapha dominant.
Desserts: Sweet foods are naturally dampening to Agni. Have them in moderation, especially in early Winter, but take them separate from a meal, in small amounts at the end of a meal, and have them with something that stimulates the digestive fire, such as green or black tea, or herb tea made from ginger, fennel, or chai spices. Make your homemade cookies and cakes with less sugar and with spices like cardamom or cinnamon. Stewed fruits are a better choice than cakes. Stew with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or clove. No ice cream or frozen yogurt in Winter, please.
Honey is the most warming and least Ama-building sweetener so it is a good choice in tea and beverages. But don't cook with it; it transforms this wonderful medicine into what Ayurveda considers a poison.
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Cold Foods/Warm Foods. Avoid cold foods like ice cream and yogurt. Some yogurt is fine at noon, but not at night. Follow the general Ayurvedic advice to drink liquids room temperature or warm/hot. If you drink milk, drink it hot, simmered with ginger root, cardamom, or clove. Mediterranean Sage Tea is excellent for warming up after being out in the cold. Get it at Greek, Persian, or Arab markets.
Fruit: Stick to apples, pears, and other seasonal or dried fruits like dates. Stewed fruits like cranberry sauce and apple sauce are good. Again, try using spices. Avoid bananas, as these are quite cooling. (They are good in Summer though!)
Veggies: Avoid cold veggies like cucumber, raw tomato, salads. These are "cold" foods that dampen Agni. In Summer they are fine, because Agni is naturally strong then. There are regional exceptions. A long hike in the desert sun in San Diego might lead to a small amount of cucumber with lunch, for example.
Favor warming veggies like baked hard squash, root veggies like daikon and parsnip, and as always, green leafy veggies, lightly cooked. Drink lots of soup! Soups are easy to digest and moisten and lubricate the mucosa in the nose and throat, making it harder for Rhino viruses to penetrate. This is a good time for warming fish or meat soups with veggies in them like bouillabaisse made with salmon, or chicken soup with garlic and onion and dill.
Spices: Keep your insides warm with thermogenic spices. Cumin is an excellent burner of Ama. So are ginger, black pepper, coriander, oregano, thyme, sage, fenugreek, fennel. If you drink milk, drink it hot simmered with ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon. Add tea and you have Masala Chai!
Tumeric is an excellent spice that builds immunity and reduces Ama. So is fresh ginger. Use them in lentils, beans, meats and veggies. Any Indian cookbook or cook website will have great recipes. Substitute black pepper for chili pepper unless you are very Kapha dominant.
Desserts: Sweet foods are naturally dampening to Agni. Have them in moderation, especially in early Winter, but take them separate from a meal, in small amounts at the end of a meal, and have them with something that stimulates the digestive fire, such as green or black tea, or herb tea made from ginger, fennel, or chai spices. Make your homemade cookies and cakes with less sugar and with spices like cardamom or cinnamon. Stewed fruits are a better choice than cakes. Stew with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or clove. No ice cream or frozen yogurt in Winter, please.
Honey is the most warming and least Ama-building sweetener so it is a good choice in tea and beverages. But don't cook with it; it transforms this wonderful medicine into what Ayurveda considers a poison.
Copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Statin Drugs vs. Red Rice Yeast (Monascus purpureus)
In my last post I mentioned that I see a lot of patients with high cholesterol and triglycerides whose doctors want to or have already put them on Statin drugs. Some of them are even taking two or more at once.
But statin drugs are not without a frightening array of risks-- pain, inflammation, liver damage, Lou Gehrig's disease ALS, and memory loss. And according to the Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statin-side-effects/MY00205
the risks are greater under the following conditions:
• Taking multiple medications to lower your cholesterol
• Being female
• Having a smaller body frame
• Being age 65 or older
• Having kidney or liver disease
• Having type 1 or 2 diabetes
What is crazy is many of my patients on multiple meds to lower cholesterol are female and over 65....
Given that once you are on statins you have to stay on them for the rest of your life, it would seem prudent to at first try conservative measures like diet and exercise before jumping into a lifelong relationship with a dangerous drug.
My last post discussed diet.
Role of Genetics in High Cholesterol
There are people who have such a high genetic factor that even with a perfect diet and lifestyle they still have high cholesterol. Even in those cases, it seems much more reasonable to try Red Yeast extract first.
Red Yeast (Monascus purpureus)
Red yeast rice or red rice yeast is the dried version of a red yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) that is grown on rice. Originally from China, known as Zhi Tai in Mandarin, it has been used in Chinese Medicine as a "blood vitalizer" since the Tang dynasty (800 C.E.) Many of the class of medicinals known as blood vitalizers have cholestoral fighting properties.
According to the Mayo clinic website,
"It contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One of these, "monacolin K," is a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin (Mevacor®, a drug produced by Merck & Co., Inc). "
According to the Mayo Clinic
"Since the 1970s, human studies have reported that red yeast lowers blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein/LDL ("bad cholesterol"), and triglyceride levels. "
The Mayo site then goes on to give Red Yeast an A for this function, which means "strong scientific evidence for this use."
And Red Yeast may have additional benefits according to the Mayo Clinic site.
Coronary heart disease
Preliminary evidence shows that taking Monascus purpureus by mouth may result in cardiovascular benefits and improve blood flow. Additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.
Diabetes
Early human evidence suggests the potential for benefits in diabetics. Additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.
Issue of Standardization and Quality Control
This is the brand I have had success with my nutrition patients here in San Diego. One patient who then switched to a cheaper version from a large discount chain, saw her cholesterol go back up.
Does Red Rice Yeast have any risks?
Red Rice Yeast is a natural source for monacolin K, the active ingredient in one of the big statin drugs. But, like other whole plant medicines, it contains a far smaller amount (in this case 1/5th the amount) plus other buffers and co-factors. This may explain why in recent studies mentioned by Anderw Weil, M.D., only 7% of the patients had muscle stiffness
It should also be noted that, like anyone taking pharmaceutical statins, red yeast users should be on daily supplements of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Statins inhibit the body's production of this coenzyme along with lowering cholesterol. CoQ10 is necessary for optimum function of muscles, including heart muscle.
Red Rice Yeast, or Diet and Exercise?
Obviously, with even a small risk, wouldn't it be a much better choice to try lowering your cholesterol with diet and exercise first, and then try red yeast if unsuccessful?
I had an elderly heart patient here in San Diego who went to the Scripps Clinic heart disease program ready for heart surgery, and opted into the diet and exercise program. His diet was radical--no red meat at all; but he reversed his heart disease, avoided open heart surgery, and I still run in to him at Whole Foods Market 15 years later!
As always, please discuss these issues with your M.D. before going off any meds. Also, please refer to the Mayo clinic website for information on who should potentially not take Red rice yeast, like people with liver disease and on blood thinners.
.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
But statin drugs are not without a frightening array of risks-- pain, inflammation, liver damage, Lou Gehrig's disease ALS, and memory loss. And according to the Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statin-side-effects/MY00205
the risks are greater under the following conditions:
• Taking multiple medications to lower your cholesterol
• Being female
• Having a smaller body frame
• Being age 65 or older
• Having kidney or liver disease
• Having type 1 or 2 diabetes
What is crazy is many of my patients on multiple meds to lower cholesterol are female and over 65....
Given that once you are on statins you have to stay on them for the rest of your life, it would seem prudent to at first try conservative measures like diet and exercise before jumping into a lifelong relationship with a dangerous drug.
My last post discussed diet.
Exercise is a no-brainer: you have to do it and there are no excuses. Being overweight and not exercising is a double whammy-- excess weight boosts harmful bad cholesterol, while inactivity depresses protective good cholesterol. Eating too many carbs and sugar, which often goes hand in hand raises deadly triglycerides.
Losing weight if needed and exercising more reverse these trends. At a minimum you need 30 minutes 6 days a week. That could be walking the dog 15 minutes 2x a day. Just do it, as the slogan goes.
Role of Genetics in High Cholesterol
There are people who have such a high genetic factor that even with a perfect diet and lifestyle they still have high cholesterol. Even in those cases, it seems much more reasonable to try Red Yeast extract first.
Red Yeast (Monascus purpureus)
Red yeast rice or red rice yeast is the dried version of a red yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) that is grown on rice. Originally from China, known as Zhi Tai in Mandarin, it has been used in Chinese Medicine as a "blood vitalizer" since the Tang dynasty (800 C.E.) Many of the class of medicinals known as blood vitalizers have cholestoral fighting properties.
According to the Mayo clinic website,
"It contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One of these, "monacolin K," is a potent inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin (Mevacor®, a drug produced by Merck & Co., Inc). "
Red rice yeast is a natural source of statins, but unlike pharmaceutical products, it provides a mix of these compounds rather than a single one. The complex mixture interacts with the body more smoothly and is less likely to cause toxicity.
According to the Mayo Clinic
"Since the 1970s, human studies have reported that red yeast lowers blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein/LDL ("bad cholesterol"), and triglyceride levels. "
The Mayo site then goes on to give Red Yeast an A for this function, which means "strong scientific evidence for this use."
And Red Yeast may have additional benefits according to the Mayo Clinic site.
Coronary heart disease
Preliminary evidence shows that taking Monascus purpureus by mouth may result in cardiovascular benefits and improve blood flow. Additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.
Diabetes
Early human evidence suggests the potential for benefits in diabetics. Additional study is needed before a firm recommendation can be made.
Issue of Standardization and Quality Control
Mayo then discusses the very real issue, which also occurs with generic drugs made in India and China, of standardization. That is why I always recommend Solaray Brand red yeast. http://www.amazon.com/Solaray-Red-Yeast-Rice-capsules/dp/B0001QNH5S
This is the brand I have had success with my nutrition patients here in San Diego. One patient who then switched to a cheaper version from a large discount chain, saw her cholesterol go back up.
Does Red Rice Yeast have any risks?
Red Rice Yeast is a natural source for monacolin K, the active ingredient in one of the big statin drugs. But, like other whole plant medicines, it contains a far smaller amount (in this case 1/5th the amount) plus other buffers and co-factors. This may explain why in recent studies mentioned by Anderw Weil, M.D., only 7% of the patients had muscle stiffness
It should also be noted that, like anyone taking pharmaceutical statins, red yeast users should be on daily supplements of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Statins inhibit the body's production of this coenzyme along with lowering cholesterol. CoQ10 is necessary for optimum function of muscles, including heart muscle.
Red Rice Yeast, or Diet and Exercise?
Obviously, with even a small risk, wouldn't it be a much better choice to try lowering your cholesterol with diet and exercise first, and then try red yeast if unsuccessful?
I had an elderly heart patient here in San Diego who went to the Scripps Clinic heart disease program ready for heart surgery, and opted into the diet and exercise program. His diet was radical--no red meat at all; but he reversed his heart disease, avoided open heart surgery, and I still run in to him at Whole Foods Market 15 years later!
As always, please discuss these issues with your M.D. before going off any meds. Also, please refer to the Mayo clinic website for information on who should potentially not take Red rice yeast, like people with liver disease and on blood thinners.
.
copyright Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac. San Diego, CA All Rights Reserved, Use With Permission Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
