Tag: balance

Mushroom 5 – Shiitake

Carol Griesmeyer

Today we talk about Shiitake mushrooms. That does not mean it is the least important. It just presented them as I ran into them.

Shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms (see previous blogs) are widely referred to as “medicinal mushrooms” due to their long history of medical use, particularly in oriental medicine traditions.

The earliest written record of shiitake cultivation is seen in the “Records of Long Quan County” compiled by He Zhan  in 1209. The first book on shiitake cultivation in Japan was written by a Japanese horticulturist Satō Chūryō in 1796.

The Japanese cultivated the mushroom by cutting shii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees that were already growing shiitake or contained shiitake spores. Until 1982 only traditional techniques were used to cultivate the mushroom. After that a report revPixabay Image 448501ealed processes and opportunities for commercial cultivation in the United States.

Shiitake mushrooms are now widely cultivated all over the world, and contribute about 25% of total yearly production of mushrooms. Commercially, shiitake mushrooms are typically grown in conditions similar to their natural environment on either artificial substrate or hardwood logs, such as oak.

Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses in the East Asian dishes. In Japan, they are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of vegetarian dashi (soup stock) , and as an ingredient in many steamed and simmered dishes. In Chinese cuisine, they are often sautéed in vegetarian dishes. They are a common source of protein in Asia.

Shiitake are also dried and sold as preserved food. These are rehydrated by soaking in water before using. Many Chinese people prefer dried shiitake to fresh, considering that the sun-drying process draws out the umami (5th savory taste) flavor from the dried mushrooms. The stems of shiitake are rarely used primarily because the stems are harder and take longer to cook than the soft fleshy caps.

One type of high grade shiitake is called donko in Japanese and dōnggū in Chinese, literally “winter mushroom”. Another high grade of mushroom is called huāgū in Chinese, literally “flower mushroom”, which has a flower-like cracking pattern on the mushroom’s upper surface. Both of these are produced at lower temperatures.

Today shiitake is very widely used. There is a global industry in shiitake production, with local farms in most western countries in addition to large scale importation from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere.

Like all mushrooms, shiitakes produce vitamin D2 upon exposure of their internal ergosterol (an essential plant sterol) to Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from sunlight or broadband UVB fluorescent tubes.  While all mushrooms contain ergosterol and have the potential to produce vitamin D2 in such a manner, the transparent white of the shiitake gills permits greater contact of the UVB with ergosterol, and very high D2 values can be achieved with exposure to broadband UVB fluorescent tubes. Shiitake is one of the few natural sources of vegan and kosher Vitamin D.

It’s main polysacchride is lentinan and is an approved drug in Japan used to improve survival rates for those undergoing chemotherapy. It protects chromosomes from being damaged by the chemotherapy and there are no known serious side effects. Entire books in China have been written on all the benefits from taking shiitake. It is often prescribed to be used ‘for those exhausted from overwork’.

In the 1960’s there were studies in Japan showing its effectiveness in lower blood cholesterol by as much as 40%. The amino acid, eritadinine, is the active ingredient, has no side effects and is well assimilated when taken orally.

The only problem encountered with shiitake is that there is a small percentage of people who are allergic to the lentinan and develop a dermatitis.

The median time of onset from ingestion of the mushrooms is typically 24 hours, ranging from 12 hours to 5 days. Most patients completely recover by 3 weeks, with or without treatment (steroids). More cases reported shortly after its discovery were due to eating the raw mushrooms, but several cases have since been reported after eating fully cooked mushrooms.

Link to North American Mycological Association site re: dermatitis:

http://www.namyco.org/shiitake_dermatitis.php

 

Mushroom 3 – Coriolus – Turkey tail

Carol Griesmeyer

Coriolus contains polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and polysaccharide-K (PSK, krestin), which may be able to fight tumor growth as well as boost the immune system.

It is widely used in China and Japan in treating chronic and serious immune challenges. It provides a chemo protective defense to healthy cells while sensitizing cancerous cells. In Japan Krestin from Coriolus is a best-selling cancer drug. It increases white blood cells and supports the immune system in general and healthy liver function.

Indications for use:

Infections; respiratiory, urinary,digestive, liver
Promotes liver health, hepatitis
Cancer
HPV cervical lesion (Human papiloma virus)
Weakness, fatigue, general debility
Frequent infections
Supports immune health after surgical treatment, protects immune health in those patients receiving therapies where immune suppression is a prominent feature.
Support the body’s cellular level defenses

It is not known if this product interacts with any medicines. There are no known interactions with any food, or other herbal supplements.

Before taking this product, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.
And the usual – not proven to be safe if pregnant or breast-feeding.

Mushroom 2 – Cordyceps (Caterpiller fungus)

Carol Griesmeyer

Reference to this herb goes back thousands of years in Tibet, China and Japan. Because of its rarity it was reserved for use by the emperor and royalty.

The literal translation of Dong chong xia cao is “winter bug summer herb” or “summer grass winter worm”. It was described as transforming from animal to plant and back to animal again. Sounds yummy doesn’t it.

The cordyceps fungus colonizes the larvae of the Thitarodes genus of ghost moths. It completely infects and devours the hose insect and then grows its stalk to release new spores and start the process again. The remnant of the caterpillar and the fruiting body (mushroom) are collected and used. Gentle cleaning and drying give it a mushroom flavor after cooking with no hint of the original insect.

There are actually 3 different cordyceps based on their location of habitat. The Tibetan (xi zang)is the best quality and is gathered in July. Qing hai cordyceps is gathered in June. It is smaller and slightly less potent than the Tibetan. Sichuan cordyceps is the smallest variety and the least effective. Its color is brown while the others are golden yellow.

Environmental issues such as its preference for extreme altitude (over 10,000 ft) and the fact the it is over-harvested have made it an extremely costly ‘wild’ fungus. It is possible to buy the cordyceps sinensis fungus and cultivate it though. Rather than using a caterpillar it can be grown in other hosts such as rye grain, millet or rice. Rye or millet produces a higher quality product than rice. It is best for the natural areas and protection of wild source to only buy products cultivated from C. sinensis or C. mycelia.

In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to treat deficiencies in both Kidney yin and yang. This can also be called adrenal burnout, and used for excessive physical exertion or chronic illness. Cordyceps restores the life essence (jing), controls fluid metabolism (Spleen and Lung), promotes healthy sexual functioning and nourished bones and hearing. Many of these conditions are those that you see developing as one grows older, the back and knees hurt, the hearing is not as good and libido diminishes. All signs of Kidney deficiency.

Safety and Use:

Some fungus scientists feel it is safer to use products derived from C. sinensis and C. mycelia to minimize the potential for contamination from mold and bacteria found in imported products.

No serious side effects have been reported, however, some people may experience nausea, diarrhea or dry mouth. Cordyceps should not be used by pregnant or lactating women or children, as it has not been studied enough in these patient categories. Cordyceps is considered a non-toxic fungus. No known drug interactions have been found, but due to cordyceps’ effect on blood glucose, diabetics should carefully monitor their blood sugar during use. Cordyceps is a red blood cell progenitor; therefore, it should not be used by people suffering from myelogenous (bone marrow) cancers.

Some sources say to not take cordyceps if you are on immunosupressive drugs such as cyclosporine. A small study in 1995 with patients who had kidney transplants and were on cyclosporine showed that it actually helped prevent the nephrotoxic (kidney damaging) side effects of the drug.

There are a variety of products out there. I would recommend getting yours from your licensed acupuncturist. They can evaluate all the supplements and medications you are taking and prescribe safely for you.

Happy one week after Thanksgiving

Carol Griesmeyer

I’m sure your turkey carcass has long been decimated. Perhaps you’ve already made bone broth with it.

What? No, you made turkey soup. Hate to inform you but you made bone broth if you used the bones in the pot. Here you thought this new latest trend was actually new. Nope. Been doing it for centuries. You probably learned from your mom or grandmother.

You can use any kind of bones – fowl, beef, pork, even fish. Just cook them down for a number of hours to make your stock base.

If you choose to use beef or pork bones you may want to roast them first. Get the best bones you can – organic. If not, use pasture or grass fed beef. Any bones you have around will work, including leftovers from dinner.

The knuckles, joints, feet and marrow bones will have the most cartilage. This is rich in collagen and can help your own joints. You don’t have to bones 1take glucosamine supplements with this around.

Meatier bones will add more flavor. Try adding oxtails, shanks and short ribs. You can get this from your local butcher. Get to know them. They can often order them for you also.

Roast the bones at 400 degrees for about an hour until well browned and fragrant.

Drain off the fat and reserve it for cooking.

Put the bones in a big pot with water, add 2 Tbsp of cider vinegar and whatever veggies you want. Consider using a slow cooker too and let it do its thing.

Garlic, leeks, mushrooms, onions, carrots and celery add great flavor, also, leftover potatoes or yams.

Dark leafy greens may make it bitter but I’ve had cabbage with no bad flavors. We had leftover asparagus chopped up and that was good. Remember there is a little bit of everything so the bones and any meat are most likely going to be the dominant flavor.

Mushrooms are also a great addition.

When you are done adding the kitchen sink, bring to a boil and then let this simmer at least overnight but 24 hrs is better.

The bones should be soft when you take them off. Cooking them helps release the collagen and gelatin that you want for your skin and joints. The soft bones more easily release all the minerals into the liquid.

Gelatin is also very supportive of good digestive health

Skim off the foam as it develops and add more water as needed.

This can be frozen for 3-4 months or canned in mason jars.

Soups or broths are excellent for supporting the Lungs in this Fall / Metal season

Mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, white fungus (Metal is white, can be found in Oriental food markets – bai mu er.)

You can add millet, barley or rice which are cooling and soothing for Lung heat (colds).

The vinegar helps reduce accumulations in the liver that you will start to collect as you eat a heavier, richer diet in the fall and winter.

In Chinese medicine bone broth nourishes our Kidneys (Winter organ), supports our qi and builds blood. Bone marrow is the source of essence (our genetic material), blood and qi which all come from kidney energy. Kidneys are in charge of bones (including teeth) and joints so it is reasonable that we nourish with like kinds of food.

In our bodies the adrenal glands sit on top of our kidneys but in Chinese medicine they are considered part of the Kidney energy system. Bone broth may be a very potent source of nourishment to take us from survive to thrive. And who among us in not having adrenal burnout?!

Bone broth is capable of doing some pretty deep nutrition and should be a more prominent part of our nutrition plan. It’s pretty much a no-brainer to make. Every one is unique and it’s fun to play with veggies and seasonings to make an awesome meal, snack or daily supplement.

Stop the Cold NOW formula

Carol Griesmeyer

Yin qiao san is a bigger formula than Yu ping feng san. I will discuss a bit about all of the herbs and  explain a little about how an herbal formula is created in Chinese medicine.

This formula is used to treat Wind/Heat as most of the herbs are cooling. But any formula will have a few herbs that also cool. You usually don’t want to take it too far. This is a great formula to take at the merest hint that a cold is starting – you wake achy, sore throat, headache, tired (different from your usual morning). In many instances it can stop a cold in it’s tracks if you start taking within 6-12 hours, don’t wait until the end of the day.  You can ‘slam’ this herb by taking a dose very often the first day and then start spreading it out over the next 2 – 3 days. If you don’t notice much difference by the end of the second day you need a different formula.

Traditionally there is (are) one or two chief or emperor herbs in a Chinese formula.
In this formula we have Jin yin hua (lonicera – honeysuckle flower) and Lian Qiao (forsythia)
These are both the chief herbs. They release the exterior (open the pores for mild sweat), clear heat (help relieve fever) and relieve toxicity (eliminate the pathogen).
These actions are the focus of the formula.
As discussed a bit yesterday when the defensive or Wei qi is weak it cannot defend against invasion through the exterior. The Wei qi is considered our immune system and lives in the exterior of our body between the skin and muscles. The skin pores may be open, which let in the pathogen and they may close up trapping the pathogen inside. A mild sweat is encouraged to open the pores to release the pathogen. It is also recommended to keep wrapped up to prevent more invasion when the pores are open. It is a delicate balancing act. What this really means it we need to take time to help our bodies heal itself and give it rest and protection from more exposure.

Imagine a fox in a hen house. If you reinforce the fences and gates before you get the fox out, you’ll have no chickens left. Get the fox out first, then reinforce your defense network.

When we create a formula we want to consider whether the condition is basically hot or cold – fevers or chills. Herbs have temperature characteristics that address this. Everything here is balance – where there is heat – cool it; where there is cold – warm it up. Basic concept for thousands of years. We don’t follow this enough in many situations and again we follow it often but don’t understand it’s history.

The assistant herbs:
Jie geng (platycodon) and Niu bang zi (arctium) move Lung qi and help soothe the throat. Lung qi needs to move to get rid of phlegm and ease breathing.
Bo he (mint) and Dan dou chi (Sojae) release heat. Note mint is often used for sore throats and to cool, in general. It will help start a mild sweat which is why it cools you off.
Jing jie (schizomepeta) helps release the exterior but moderates the dryness that can come from too much sweating
Dan zhu yu (lophatheri), Lu gen (phragmitis), Gan cao (glycyrrhiza, licorice) help create fluids and alleviate thirst. Often with fever you sweat too much, get dehydrated. These help to
prevent dehydration.
Note, these groups balance each other – generate fluids, prevent fluid loss, open pores, control sweating.
Additional note: gan cao or licorice is often added to many  formulas as the one that consolidates all the flavors, makes it easier to digest and absorb, balances it all out.

I highly recommend you get to know this formula and Yu ping feng san. Get them from a licensed acupuncturist so they can guide you in the best and safest use for you.

Disclaimer: This information is for your education only. It is always advised that you speak with an acupuncturist before you use any Chinese herbal formula.  Herbal use is never recommended with pregnancy. I know herbal use is part of everyone’s heritage but most of us have lost touch with their wise and safe use. I also believe that everyone needs an acupuncturist as all of us have energy meridians that need to be kept is good shape. If you every get a tune-up for your car, go to the dentist or have your eyes checked,  you need a tune-up for your energy meridians. A licensed acupuncturist is the best person for the job.

Turmeric Golden Milk

Carol Griesmeyer

A lot of people has been asking about this lately.
The office shared this on the office website but I wanted you to see it here again.
There is commercial preparation of turmeric -Meriva – that research shows to be much better absorbed than the natural ground option. It is more expensive than any other curcumin supplement but you get more out of it. However, many people don’t want to rely on any commercial assistance if they can avoid it when it comes to using herbs and natural supplement.

I found a great video for you to watch also so you can see what it looks like.
It is an herb that we are starting to take and explore it benefits so I can only share what I have read.
Wear an apron as it can stain if there are any splashes.  Turmeric-powder

Recipe:

1/4 c ground turmeric
1/4 – 1/2 c water – good, clean, not chlorinated

Put these in a pot on the stove and cook for 7-9 minutes. You may need to add more water

Cook to into a nice smooth paste like frosting.
Let it cool before putting in the refrigerator.
It will keep 2-3 weeks but no more.

To Drink:

Mix 1/4 tsp of the paste into 8 oz milk
Add 1 tsp raw almond oil
You may want to add a small amount of ginger and /or black pepper to help it be absorbed more completely.

The Organs of Autumn – part 2

Carol Griesmeyer

Well now we get to talk about the ‘Letting Go’ organ – Large Intestine. When we talk about letting go we are not only talking about removing waste from our physical bod

transparente organe mit markiertem dickdarmy but also the toxic stuff that has collected in our spirits and mind.

Not everyone is blessed with a happy-go-lucky childhood. There can be many ugly memories of abuse or abandonment. Maybe there wasn’t always a roof to sleep under or food on the table. Even having a teacher from hell is quite disturbing for a young person to deal with. How many times were you dumped by someone special or rejected before you even got off the ground.

These experiences all leave toxic waste in us and can immobilize us for years or our entire life.

Fortunately you have the Large Intestine to help you with this. It comes to our aide after the Lungs have taken in clear qi and moves the garbage out. Now we are on the road to healing.

This is a great time for you to take an internal inventory of all the things you have been carrying around in your head – I’m no good, he/she is no good, old resentments, jealousies. These are often long standing issues you just can’t let go of or they may be relatively new. What principles were you brought up with that no longer serve you?

This is a tough season and tough organ to deal with. We don’t want to go in the cave and look at all the bad things we’ve been hauling around forever. What happens if we actually get rid of it? Who are we then? Our personal story will change, excuses will be gone. You may grieve the loss of these ideas, traditions, patterns. However, if they are no longer healthy or useful it is wise to take them out our your backpack.

Be patient with yourself.  You don’t have to have a huge purge in one day. No one is very capable of surviving that kind of experience. Take it is small steps. Continue to review issues over and over. When you stop feeling the ‘hit’ in your guts as you review each one you have probably let go of it and can move on. Sometimes this takes years – but it took years for you to get here and you will keep going. Just don’t put a cork in it.

When qi gets stuck we experience pain and discomfort or dis-ease. Use the Lungs bringing clear qi with the breath to move the qi. Allow the process to do what is knows how to do. Our egos often throw everything out of balance and we are striving for balance. Nature always wants balance.

So… just let go of non-essentials and search for your deepest values.

The Organs of Fall – part 1

Carol Griesmeyer

No I’m not talking about the old pipe organ in the skating rink or the Wurlitzer you may have had in your living room.

In Chinese medicine we are connected in body, mind and spirit to everything. The season we are connected to right now is Fall or Autumn. You can feel the impact of the shortening days and the change in weather. The cold and damp start creeping into many areas (even our car doors start to creak) and we notice we are more susceptible to colds and flus. So while you may think that we are above this environmental stuff we are very much attached.transparente organe mit markiertem dickdarm

Each season or phase has two organs associated with it, one Yin, one Yang. The organs connected with this season are the Lungs and Large Intestine or Colon. Notice that the problems that nail us in this season – colds and flu – impact these organs.

The Lungs (Yin) sit at the top of our body and are connected to the outside through the nose and mouth. The viruses that attack us are taken into us through the nose and mouth. When a virus attacks, our nose, sinuses and lungs are impacted. The Lungs are also in charge of the Immune system. We say that the immune system or Wei Qi is between the skin and muscle. Ever notice how you often get achy when you get sick also?

When we get attacked by a virus we call it an “External pathogenic influence” – EPI.

This is the season to nourish our Immune system and Lungs if we weren’t doing it in the Summer season. Actually, how susceptible you are to colds and flus is an indication of how well you nourish yourself in general. If you have a history of colds and flu in the past there is a weakness that is underlying. This needs to be addressed all year, but the best time to do it is now, in its season.

So how do you do that.

Number one – get more sleep. We don’t know how to do that in this country. Whoever said we need to go, go, go, never stop was an not the norm in the energy department. Yes there are some with those genetics but it’s not common. Actually as fall and winter progress we should be sleeping more when the sun is down, ie go to bed earlier and get up later if we want to stay in rhythm with the earth and seasons. Of course this won’t go over at all with your boss in the morning but you should have some control over your evenings.

  1. Exercise is always good. Keeps you breathing deeply to expand your lungs and get the gunk out of the nooks and crannies. Need to keep the qi moving to stay healthy. Tai Qi and Qi Gong are excellent ways to exercise and focus on your breathing. They are very powerful and you can easily do most forms inside without special equipment. The Lungs are the organs of ‘inspiration’. They draw in the energy of the heavens and fill us with pure or clear qi. We want that. Of course what we are really breathing in anymore is up for grabs. Still breathing is important.
  1. When it starts getting colder, more wind, rain wear a scarf around your neck. We have points at the base of our skulls and the tops of our shoulders that are weak points for Wind / Cold invasion. Colds / flu are Wind/Cold or Wind/Heat invasions. If you have more chills than that would be Wind/Cold. If you have more fever – Wind/Heat. Wind/Cold can move into Wind/Heat if a few hours. It’s often hard to tell the difference. That’s one reason to see an acupuncturist.
  2. Develop an attitude of gratitude for everything that has come into your life. We even have a holiday set aside to do that. I would suggest, though, that you start and /or end every day with a gratitude meditation being that Thanksgiving seems to be getting short shrift with the capitalistic attitude around the holidays anymore. It’s a great way to put everything into perspective, remember what is valuable to you and celebrate that.
  3. Remember how I said the defensive or Wei Qi is between the skin and muscle? Our largest organ in our skin. Intact skin is a huge defense system. Keep yourself hydrated and your skin intact and you can keep a lot of stuff out of your body.
  4. Start moving away from the cold and raw food. They will chill you internally and are hard on the digestive system.

Stick with me and you’ll learn about how to eat for the seasons, which herbs help, emotions involved. There’s so much and I don’t want to overwhelm you.

For now, come back tomorrow and I’ll discuss the Large Intestine.

In celebration of Autumn

Carol Griesmeyer

“To everything there is a season….” We are deep into autumn now. In Chinese medicine this is the season of letting go.  Most of the brilliant leaves have fallen off the trees. Even in the Northwest things are starting to look a bit barren. What was a bright splash of their last glory is now naked tree limbs or plants withdrawing into the ground.

Just like the trees and plants letting go of their leaves and no longer needed parts and energy we must take a look at what we no longer need. What does not provide us with strength, helps up fulfill our purpose or drains us although we don’t want to accept that?

Each season or phase of life has an emotion. In the Fall the emotion is Grief. We may feel a sense of loss at this time of year. Think of how you may be more dowFall woods Camassia webn, depressed as the days grow shorter. We don’t want to stay inside, we want to be energized by the sun. We grieve the loss of daylight, activity and, perhaps, the moving away of people we enjoy and love.

In this season we are drawn towards introspection. Daily there is as onslaught of negativity directed at our bodies and minds.  This needs to be cleaned out – let go of the garbage. There’s more of it than you think. We live in a materialistic society, though you may try to not actively participate on a large scale. It still has influence over how you think and behave.

Now take time to look inside yourself. What would be best to release? How were you raised and what influences are there that you could let go of? Are you living your agenda or someone else’s agenda for you?

As you prepare to move deeper into your cave for the winter it is always wise to clean it out first. Explore all the ’things’ you have gathered this spring and summer. How much fun were they? Do you need to keep them? It has been fun having it around but does it really serve the same purpose? What is that purpose? Perhaps this is the time to let go in gratitude, and keep all the wonderful memories they bring. Let someone else experience the joy you felt having this item. Question it all.

If you are afraid you will offend someone by saying good-bye or spending less time with them understand that this is the season for less activity. More time for looking inward, being quieter. Talk with them and dive into what they value and discuss how it may not support you and your values any longer.

Metal is about value and purpose. Are you strong in yours? Take this time to celebrate what is great about you. Flaunt it a bit. Bring some light and bling into your life and these dark days. Remind  yourself of your uniqueness and be grateful for it. Accept praise and let it nourish you.

Fall is the time to strengthen your Metal. Bring in inspiration and let go of the unneeded.

Activities Fall woods 2 Camassia webto nourish your Metal:

Clean your desk, dining room table or a closet

Make a list of your strengths. Look at it and breathe in gratitude for what you can do and what you have accomplished. Let go of your self-sabotage.

Be grateful for all you have, what you have had and all you are.

Find time for quiet and meditate on all this.

Enjoy this season. Know that you are not alone in the challenges it brings. Keep your best assets – friends, treasures – near for support as you let go.