Yin and Yang Theory in a Nutshell

November 30, 2010 By admin
photo courtesy of taoism.about.com

photo courtesy of taoism.about.com

The Yin and Yang Theory is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is a simple concept of opposites, but can be somewhat complex in its application in understanding the human body in Chinese Medicine.

In the macrocosm of the universe, Yin is the physical manifestation of all things and Yang is the potentiality of all things. In the microcosm, all physical forms are Yin, but all forms have the potential for change, which is Yang.

Sometimes the best way to explain Yin and Yang is with an analogy, and we will bring these to you as they arise. Here’s the first one we came up with:

A car engine is a static thing. The fuel that runs it is Yin, and the spark that ignites the fuel is Yang, transforming the fuel into energy to make the car run. Likewise, in the human body, the food we eat is Yin and the process of digestion is Yang; without the transformation of digestion, the food is useless.

http://mountaintopacupuncture.com/yin-and-yang-theory-in-a-nutshell

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

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Fruit Compote Recipe

November 22, 2010 By admin

Compote is fruit stew: using fruit as the central ingredient, the basic recipe can be improvised upon by adding nuts and spices you prefer. Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and plums have the right amount of juiciness and cellulose to use as the main ingredient. (P.S. Pears nourish the lungs, and are plentiful in the fall, so take advantage of this when making your list.)

This fruit stew can be added to morning oatmeal, yogurt for breakfast or lunch, and as a snack. It is especially yummy re-warmed on a cold winter evening, when you want something wholesome and sweet before calling it a day.

the ingredients

the ingredients

Ingredients:

Apples or pears – 8, cut into 1-inch chunks
Prunes – ¼ C, coarsely chopped
Apricots – ¼ C, coarsely chopped
Walnuts – 1/2 C, coarsely chopped
Nutmeg – 1/8 tsp
Cinnamon – 1/8 tsp
Garam masala – 1/8 tsp
Fresh ginger – 1-inch, minced
Coconut – 2 T
Vanilla – 1 T
Lemon juice – ½ lemon, squeezed
Fruit juice – splash
Water – splash

Directions:

Place the ingredients in a saucepan and add the splashes of juice and water — you just need a little bit, because the water content in the fruit will be enough as the cellulose breaks down in the cooking.

ready to start cooking

Cook on low for 30 minutes; the compote is done when you can easily mash the fruit.

http://mountaintopacupuncture.com/fruit-stew

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: All Things Food, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

The Po

November 18, 2010 By admin

the_po

The paradigm for the Chinese medicine viewpoint is simply different than western medicine, for it views the whole and sees its parts, and seeks to understand their inner and outer workings. In order to describe the parts, descriptive language is often used to identify their varying aspects in relation to each other.

This series focuses on the five spirits of Chinese medicine. Each spirit is associated with a different organ, and is discussed through the prism of its particular characteristics, both strong and weak.

The Po

The Lungs rhythmically expand and contract, functioning to exchange gases and regulate fluids. This predictable, necessary rhythm reflects the give-and-take of ordinary, day-to-day activities.

The spirit of the lung is the Po. The Po is the aspect of your spirit that dies when your physical body dies.

The lung is associated with autumn, in the time after the harvest, as the life cycle draws to a close. We are aware this is so, based on what we observe in the natural world around us.

The emotions associated with the lung are grief and sadness, the emotions that accompany loss, great and small.

The Po’s expression in strength is the ability to know right from wrong. We make choices all the time, but there are rare, tangible moments when confronted with doing the right thing, and you choose to do the right thing, even if it has a certain “ew” factor for you, and no one is looking.

The Po’s expression in weakness is a normal reaction in loss: feeling vulnerable, and not having clear boundaries with others.

Speaking your truth, and speaking out against an injustice when the moment asks for it, are two ways you can strengthen your Po.

http://mountaintopacupuncture.com/the-po

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

Filed Under: Philosophy Tagged With: ,

The 70% Rule for Injury

November 17, 2010 By admin

70

Applying the 70% rule when you are exercising will help you rehabilitate faster. The 70% rule is derived from the writings of Lao Tzu, and basically says “do less, not more.”

In other words, don’t strain: take it down a notch. By adjusting the strength, speed, and force of your movement, your movement will naturally soften. Slower, more deliberate coordination of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments will allow the injury to heal by working within its range of motion (ROM).

Think: moderation. Pull it back so there is less tension, soften the tissue, and breath. You still go through the exercise (providing it is not “off limits” for the duration of your injury), but without struggle and strain.

http://mountaintopacupuncture.com/the-70-rule

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At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

 

 

 

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Take a Breath

November 16, 2010 By admin

 

Lung anatomy

Air is a form of nutrient in both biomedicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The exchange of gases occurs in the lungs, where oxygen (O2) is inhaled and carbon dioxide (CO2) is exhaled. O2 binds to hemoglobin, travels in the blood to each cell, where the mitochondria use it to create ATP, THE energy molecule, via the Krebs cycle.

When you take deeper breaths, you increase the amount of O2 in your body, and the potential for more reserves of energy both immediately and in times of stress or depletion/illness.

Here’s a simple Taoist breathing method:
1) Inhale through your nose, and follow the breath down your esophagus, into your chest, and down to your lower abdomen, allowing the muscles to relax and expand.
2) Exhale from the lower abdomen by contracting the muscles of the lower abs and core towards your spine.

Breathing this way is very grounding, and with practice, will become second nature — it’s the way we breathed as babies, so that kinesthetic memory is stored in our nervous systems.

No need to rush the process: you can do it any time or place when you remember to do it. For example, when you’re waiting for the light to change, or feel your emotions or thoughts start to run away from you.

Guideline: never strain — follow the 70% rule — taking breaths only as deeply as they come naturally to you.

Benefits: increased energy, clearer thinking, calmer nervous system, improved metabolic and organ function, and less toxic waste in the form of CO2 floating in the blood.

Image:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, National Institute of Health website. Retrieved 10.18.10: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hlw/hlw_respsys.html

http://mountaintopacupuncture.com/take-a-breath

—————————–
At Mountaintop Acupuncture, we have a combined 34 years of experience. To read more, please click here.

If you have questions and concerns about acupuncture treatment, we offer a free 20-minute phone session: click here for contact information to call or e-mail us. We practice in two New York City locations: Flatiron & Greenwich Village.

Insurance is welcome and accepted.

 

 

 

 

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