Revitalize your essence!

         In Traditional Chinese medicine, the philosophy is that we are born with three treasures or three essential energies that sustain our human life: Jing, Qi, and Shen. "Jing" is our nutritive essence, "Qi" our vital energy and "Shen" our spirit or soul. These three treasures are the foundations of optimum health and spiritual well-being.
       Of all three, the Jing energy or Kidney essence, is our primordial energy that is passed down at conception. It helps make up our constitution, closely like our DNA or genetic makeup, and essential to our development and growth. If one is born from healthy parents who had a full term pregnancy, usually their kidney energy is strong. However, when the parents are a bit older or have had many off-springs, their own kidney energy may not have been strong themselves and therefore they pass on a weak kidney energy to their children. No matter the way you were born, it is somewhat possible to enhance that energy with proper diet and lifestyle. But if you notice yourself, continuing on a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol binge, poor diet, overwork, too much sex or too many pregnancies, chronic illness and stress you can be assured that your kidney energy is draining...and FAST!

I'm here to tell you some tips and advice to help strengthen your kidney energy, to reduce the speed of aging, and regain power and vitality to your life.

The kidneys primary function is storing and controlling essence. Once a child is born the acquired jing is responsible to replenish the body through independent jing cycles, every seven years in girls and eight years in boys. These cycles control growth and development (our bones, central nervous system, brain, and flow of cerebral spinal fluid) and brings a new transformation from being a child to adulthood. The stages of jing can look like losing your first teeth, adolescence and reproductive organ growth, completion of physical growth, and eventually as our jing declines we become more exhausted, we go through menopause or lose our reproductive ability and inevitably our death- with the complete loss of our jing.

 The kidneys' peak time is between 5pm and 7pm in which this energetic force is the most available. (Each specific organ has a clock time in which the energy is at its optimum force.) It is the best time to take a break from the stimulation of media: newspapers, radio, tv, movies, to help you go deeper inside to restore the essence. Though winter is a particularly beneficial time for this, it can be done anytime.
Schedule a day for contemplation and renewal at least a couple of times a week!

 Some activities that replenish the essence are Qi Gong (Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention) or standing meditations focusing on the sole of the feet and grounding yourself to the earth. The kidney meridian in acupuncture is the only organ that starts on the sole of your feet. So even massaging the point between your second and third toe right where the color changes can help move the kidney energetic. Also, specific foods help nourish the essence and revitalize strength of the kidney meridian.

Try this STANDING MEDITATION:
( You can go outside or do this indoors -barefoot preferably to feel the earth beneath you and get more grounded)


1. Stand comfortably with your feet shoulder width apart.

2. Make sure your toes are pointed straight ahead.

3. There is a gentle, relaxed bend to the knees and they tend to push lightly outwards as opposed to collapsing inwards.

4. The pelvis is tucked slightly forward so the lower spine is straight.

5. The shoulders are loose and relaxed, not raised up, hands hang loosely at the sides.

6. The head is held up as if suspended by a string.

7. Breathing is done through the nose and is slow, soft, and deep.

8. Eyes are either closed, or are slightly parted but not focused on anything.

Beginning the meditation

      1.Follow your breath with your mind, feeling where it goes inside of you.

      2. Slowly scan your body from head to feet looking for any tension or discomfort. If any is found, use     

          the mind to gently guide the breath there and as you exhale, imagine the tension flowing down and   

          releasing into the Earth, dispersing.

Focusing to activate specific energy center:

1. Become aware of your feet and their connection to the Earth. Imagine that you are inhaling strong, clean energy from the Earth into the Bubbling Well points of your feet, and exhaling used, turbid energy back into the Earth. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
2. Next let the energy from the Earth travel up the legs and into the lower dan tien located beneath the navel. This is our center of inner strength and power. Imagine that you are inhaling pure, healing energy into your dan tien, letting it fill your entire lower abdomen. Exhale, purging any unclean energy from this center. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
3. Change the focus of your mind to the heart center located in the middle of the chest. This is our center of love and compassion. Imagine that you are inhaling purified energy into the heart center. Exhale, cleansing the heart and surrounding yourself with the feeling of compassion. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
4. Change the focus of your mind to the 3rd eye center located between the eyebrows in the middle of the forehead. This is our center of higher consciousness. Imagine that you are inhaling clear and focused energy into the 3rd eye center. Exhale, cleansing the mind and connecting with the consciousness of the Universe. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
5. Now bring the focus of your mind back to the lower dan tien, below the navel. Imagine a warm flow of energy filling this center. As you both inhale and exhale, imagine a channel of energy extending upwards from the dan tien to the heart center, and continuing up to the 3rd eye center. This connects our body, spirit, and mind. Maintain this connection for 8 to 36 breaths.
6. Change the focus of your mind to the palms of your hands. Imagine breathing into the Lao Gong point at the center of your palms and also exhaling from this point. Feel your hands filling and becoming surrounded in warm qi. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
7. Finally, simply stand and follow your breath. Allow yourself to feel the energy flowing in and around your body. Do this until you feel finished.

FOODS THAT HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR ESSENCE

• Salty foods: miso, sea salt, tamari, salted raw sauerkraut or kimchee
• Beans: black beans, kidney beans, most beans
• Blue and black foods: Blueberries, blackberries, mulberry, black beans
• Seafood: fish, shrimp, seaweeds
• Nuts & Seeds: Walnuts, Chestnuts, seeds, flax, pumpkins, sunflower, black sesame
• Bone-Marrow Broths & Soups
• Asparagus, Deep green leafy vegetables
• Spirulina, kelp, chlorella, wheatgrass
• Mineral rich herbs: Nettles, Oatstraw
• Moistening herbs: Marshmallow, slippery elm, comfrey, aloe vera gel 

In his book, Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford says, “ Perhaps the most important factors for increasing vitality in old age are those practices which deepen spiritual awareness, along with an attitude that applies them consistently in daily life”.

Always remember to take care of your health!

You can find a lot more information about the Kidney meridian from this wonderful article by Anasuya Batliner  http://mybodywisdom.net/pdf/Nutrition_for_Kidney_Yin.pdf 

Does Meat Rot In Your Colon? No. What Does? Beans, Grains, and Vegetables!

I just read an interesting blog (Gnolls.org) about how the body digests certain foods and what occurs when you eat beans, grains, and meats! It's a fun read and very interesting topic. ENJOY!!!!

click here for the link 

JUICE IT!

  Today is my third day on a juice fast and let me tell you, I feel great! I have so much more energy than I thought I would that I seem to be doing everything on my TO DO list. I feel healthier and have no sugar, carbs, or coffee cravings.

It all started when I watched a documentary with my husband called Fat Sick and Nearly Dead. An Australian business man came to America to juice for 60 days straight on solely vegetables and fruits. He was diagnosed with chronic urticaria, which is symptoms of wheals or rashes that appear all over the body and persists more than 6 weeks with no known cause or possible cure. He realized that he was getting overweight (100 lb. over), taking way to many prescriptions steroids, medications, and making himself sick. His rash persisted for over 8 years and he had enough with not caring for his health. He went across America, away from any temptations (or possible tons of temptations) and juiced for 60 days, meeting hundreds of people and changing lives along the way. It was a great documentary and got me thinking about my own health issues and how a 10 day juice fast might reboot my own system. {side note-I dont have any serious health issues so if you are thinking of juicing always consult your doctor first.}


  And that's how I started juicing. I began reading so much about juicing that I discovered even one day of juicing can help build your immune system, clean your colon, and help your digestion! Juicing is an easy way to provide yourself with high quality nutrients: the vitamins and minerals are densely packed as you drink because you are taking in much more fruits and vegetables then you can normally eat.

  Juicing helps detox your liver, help your blood flow better, and remove metabolic waste. The body's ph is less acidic and so one can improve brain functioning, improve heart functioning, slow down the aging process, improve joints (help arthritic pain) and again better digestion while juicing. What more can you ask for!

 Of course, when I am watching t.v or looking at delicious recipes in magazines I do think about eating something solid. However, 10 days goes by really fast and if I am able to help heal my body then its definitely worth it.

  Also, the GREENER vegetable you juice the better it is for your body! Why? green vegetables contain chlorophyll (makes the plant its green color) an important component that in a molecular level looks exactly like the red blood cell hemin. Scientist have found that our bodies assimilate chlorophyll and makes the chemical shift that turns chlorophyll into hemin. What this means is that when you drink more greens, it is like you are getting a blood transfusion! The more blood in your body the better your whole system works.

Don't feel like juicing? Pick up some fruits and vegetables and just go for it! Even just adding 1 juice a day helps your body heal faster and improve your metabolism. You don't have to change your whole diet around, it can be a substitute for a meal or even a snack. JUST JUICE IT!!!!

MY VERY OWN DELICIOUS GREEN JUICE RECIPE (1-2 servings)
3 celery stalks
3 large carrots
1 fiji apple
1 ginger slice (cubed inch peeled before juicing)
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup kale
1 cup spinach
1/2 a lemon squeezed (added at the end) 


Squeeze the lemon juice separately add at the end and juice everything else. Enjoy!

Dr. Terry Wahls Cures Herself with Food

Dr. Terry Wahls was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) a disease that affects the mitochondria's proper functioning in the body leading to shrinking of the brain. She learned what nutrients her body needed to cure herself and was able to get out of her wheelchair. Check out her TED video and be inspired to change your diet so you can live a better and healthier life. 

Starting the New Year with more..... GREENS!

 The New Year is upon us and for most people that means new year's resolutions to fulfill throughout 2012. I know I have a bunch of things that I want to get done by the end of this year. Some of them for my business and most of them for my health.

    A number of my family and friends have been going through tough times with their health and have become more aware of the potential risks of not eating healthy, not exercising and taking on stresses in life. The easiest thing to help your health is to add more VEGETABLES in your diet. Yes, the lovely delicious greens.... and reds, purples, and yellows. And I am not talking about starchy vegetables such as potatoes. I'm talking about the beautiful green kales, parsley, spinach, cucumbers, green peppers, broccoli, asparagus, collard greens, celery, cabbage, artichoke, okra, brussel sprouts, dandelion greens, turnip greens, bok choy, mustard greens to name a few. I'm also discovering amazing vegetables that are delicious and nutritious found in lots of asian dishes such as:

                             Chinese Cabbage                                    

Choy Sum

Chrysanthemum greens

Mizuna

Chinese cabbage, choy sum or yu choy a delicious bitter stem, mizuna a water vegetable (used in Japanese cooking) and chrysanthemum greens (you might of heard of the tea).

There are SOOO many delicious recipes for these amazing vegetables and you can't deny that you will feel good eating them. (Just check out www.justvegetablerecipes.com)

Most greens are full of Vitamin A, C and K, and some of these vegetables even address symptoms in the body. For instance, spinach is high in iron and chlorophyll, which is very beneficial for treating anemia. Dandelion greens have been used for hundreds of years to treat liver and gallbladder problems. Quercetin a bioflavonoid found in leafy green vegetables, which also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, can even improve allergic symptoms. And who would have thought that celery can reduce your blood pressure. It has an active compound called phthalides that helps relax muscles around arteries and allows those vessels to dilate. This means that there is more space inside the arteries for the blood to flow at a lower pressure. It's also a very good source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Vegetables are also high in fiber helping reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Greens are a great source of nutrients and are low in calories. They can greatly reduce your risk of certain diseases, are full of anti-oxidants and full of nutritional vitamins.

So if there is one thing you can add to your new year's resolution, I hope it will be adding more greens to your diet.

"A celery a day will keep the doctor away!"