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Sprouting
How to grow your own healthy live food
By Nathan Mandigo, ABT, Amma Bodywork Therapist at Pulse Holistic Health
It’s spring! That wonderful time of year when the grass greens up, trees leaf out, flowers bloom, and many people plan their summer gardens. But what if you live in an apartment or don’t have a green thumb? How do you enjoy the benefits of growing your own food? Answer: sprouting.
Why sprout?
Seeds contain all of the materiel necessary to create a new plant. They are high in proteins and carbohydrates as well as containing many of the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary to sustain life. Because the plant sprout is relying completely on the materiel in the seed for its initial growth, all of the nutrients that are locked up inside the seed are transferred into the sprout, making it much easier for us to extract those nutrients.
Sprouting seeds is easy and rewarding.
 Sprouting seeds carried by the Boise Co-op The easiest seeds to start with are alfalfa, clover, or radish. Alfalfa and clover are the most commonly encountered sprouts and are used by many restaurants on sandwiches. Radish sprouts are a little spicier and some people find them a little bitter, but they make excellent additions to salads and soups. Any grain, seed, or legume can be sprouted, some require a different technique than this article is covering but a quick search on Google turned up many fantastic resources for how to sprout anything.
To get started with sprouting you will need only a few basic items: a quart mason jar, a sprouting lid (a specialized plastic lid that has many small holes in it) or a clean nylon and a rubber band, a towel to wrap the jar in and the seeds you wish to sprout.
To begin we need to activate the seeds for sprouting which is accomplished by soaking the seeds. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of seeds in the mason jar and completely cover the seeds with water (don’t worry about too much water at this point) and allow the seeds to soak undisturbed for 6 to 8 hours.
Once the seeds have soaked, we need to rinse them. This is where the sprouting lid or clean nylon and rubber band come into play. Place whichever covering you have on the jar and drain out the soaking water. Pour more water through the covering and gently shake the seeds and again pour off this water. A common mistake that Sprouters make is to leave the seeds sitting in water, this can cause the sprouts to mold, so we want to drain off as much water as we can.
Now that the seeds are soaked and have had their initial rinse, shake the seeds into the long side of the jar, and with the jar on its side, cover the jar with the towel. Seeds sprout best in the dark and warm, the towel serves both to keep out light and keep the temperature constant.
For the next 3 to 5 days, at least twice a day, repeat the rinsing process, making sure to continue to keep the jar covered between rinsing. This ensures that the fledgling plants have enough water and also minimizes the chance of mold or insect growth. During this time you should see the sprouts develop in the jar with pretty dramatic changes from day to day.
 Once the sprouts are about an inch long and have 2 tiny little pale leaves at one end, it is time to expose them to the sun. Place the jar in a sunny spot for an afternoon and your sprouts will rapidly change from pale green to a vibrant dark green. Even during this phase, continue to rinse the sprouts as they can quickly dry out and wither in the sun’s heat. Also, keep in mind that the longer the sprouts are exposed to the sun, the stronger the flavor they develop.
The next step, and this one is optional, is to rinse off the seed hulls. This can be done in a salad spinner lined with a paper towel, or in a large bowl of water where the seed hulls will either float to the top where they can be skimmed off or fall to the bottom.
Whether you choose to rinse the seed hulls off or not, pat the excess moisture off the sprouts and store in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3 to 5 days.
What do I do with all these sprouts?!?
Spouts have many uses in cooking. As mentioned above, they are excellent on sandwiches, in salads, or thrown into a hot bowl of soup. They can also be cooked into many casseroles, used on tacos or in other Mexican dishes, or added at the last minute to stir fry. Or, my personal favorite, pinching a handful out of the fridge for a nutrient dense and satisfying snack. The biggest thing is experiment and enjoy!
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It seems that ‘allergy season’ comes earlier every year. Although it may be true that certain seasons have a propensity to bombard us with excess pollen, there isn’t really one season for allergies. Some people only suffer during a particular season while others may suffer all year long. Some people are allergic to only one thing, while others suffer from a multitude or combination of allergens. Whatever the individual pattern, it is estimated that nearly 50 million Americans suffer from allergies.
From a Chinese medicine (CM) perspective allergies appear when our Wei qi (defensive qi) is very weak or the pathogen is immensely strong in comparison. This is very similar to how colds and flus invade the system. How does this happen? One of the 6 pernicious influences (cold, dry, damp, hot, summer heat and wind) invades. Your body’s natural defensive system (the wei qi) should rally to fight and hopefully expel the pathogen. However it may succumb if the system is too weak, the pathogen too strong, or our actions allow the pathogen to perpetuate. Treatment and prevention of allergies are focused on the individual, treating both the acute (sniffling, sneezing, etc.) and focusing on building the system to prevent and reduce reoccurrence.
What can you do?
Allergies can be particularly tenacious and difficult to treat, especially if they are severe or chronic–but they can be treated, you just need to be tenacious. Here are some ideas.
Know thyself
Half of the battle is knowing your constitution and your pattern. For example, if you have a history of colds or Lung qi weakness, treatment will focus on rebuilding that energy in times when allergies aren’t acute. If you have a lot of phlegm, treatment will focus on draining phlegm even in times when the allergies aren’t flaring up. Be aware of other situations that trigger your allergies. Is it in the spring? When you are around cats? When you walk down the detergent aisle in a store? Once patterns are identified then lifestyle habits, nutrition and herbs can be clearly focused to treat.
Wage war on phlegm and dampness
Excess dampness and mucus congest the lung, sinuses and respiratory system. Dampness bogs us down, making you feel muzzy headed, slow and heavy. If dampness perpetuates it congeals into phlegm which is even heavier and slows down the immune system stifling the Wei qi. The presence of excess dampness and phlegm are often a huge component in allergies as well as other diseases including candida, diabetes, some forms of arthritis and even cancers. Foods that perpetuate dampness include: dairy, processed and refined grains, yeasted foods, sugar, tomatoes, pork, oils and fats–time to cut out the cheese covered pasta. Foods that help to cut damp and phlegm include: squash, onions, turnips, radishes, and dark leafy greens. Pungent spices such as; rosemary, thyme, basil, clove, cinnamon and mints are helpful too.
Improve your diet
Foods can benefit or hinder any condition in the body. If you are actively trying to treat a pattern such as allergies caused by wind damp, then including foods that both drain dampness and eliminate wind are the perfect match. Add them into your diet while eliminating foods that cause dampness or wind. Ask your practitioner for examples.
Build in the ‘off season’
When you are not suffering acutely it is the ideal time to build the system. As we build, we become less sensitive and will not react as strongly–if at all– to the pathogen. This again means being tenacious and working towards prevention not just treating acute symptoms.
Exercise
Proper exercise increases circulation, respiratory function, immunity–it goes on. Let’s face it, proper exercise is imperative for vitality. There isn’t one perfect exercise–the key is find the exercise that you enjoy that is matched to your needs (we can help you with that, too).
Be prepared and act
Stock your cupboards with the teas, herbs and foods before the season lands on you. If you start to feel a little congested, maybe because you indulged in too much ice cream, use a steam to clear your sinuses and pull your diet back to more clearing foods. The benefits of instilling preventative habits are amazing–they just require you making a new habit. “Oh, I feel phlegmy? I will opt for the onion soup rather than the cream of mushroom.”
Watch out for wind
One of the 6 pernicious influences, wind is often present in colds, flu and allergies. To understand wind you simply need to see how it moves. In the body, wind invades in the upper regions, through the sinuses, back of the neck and ears. It moves quickly and transforms rapidly. It sends chills down the spine and makes us sniffle, twitch, have a scratchy throat, headache or watery eyes–and wind often carries in cold or heat with it. Wind rises in the spring, just as we are shedding our heavy clothes leaving us vulnerable and open. Wear scarves and hats to protect from wind invasion. People with Liver pathologies are vulnerable to wind. Quick test—do you like the wind? If you just cringed and crunched up the back of your neck and said ‘no, I hate it,’ you are likely susceptible to Liver CM patterns.
Be well, wear beautiful scarves.
April
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by April Crowell
Dipl. ABT(NCCAOM), Certified Instructor (AOBTA), Certified Holistic Nutritionist
 The Five Element Theory of Chinese Medicine (CM) carefully observed the natural phenomenon and flow of the seasons. Each of the five (yes–five) seasons were assigned an element, organ system, quality, temperature, direction, sound, taste and emotion–just to name a few. For example: Spring is represented by wood, the Liver and Gall bladder organs, birth and new growth. Summer is fire, and coorelates to Heart, Small Intestines, Pericardium and Triple burner. It reflects the peak of growth and activity. Autumn is metal and corresponds to the Lung and Colon, it is the stage of decline. Late summer is earth and represents the transition of seasons (equinox and solstices) it ireflects in the Spleen and Stomach and is the center force. Winter is water and represents the Kidney and Bladder, cold and the final decline before spring’s growth. These correlations became guidelines for everything from when to go war to identifying disease patterns in the physical body.
Winter’s chilly darkness often makes us want to slow down– or hibernate. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In Chinese medicine winter is a time of reflection and introspection, a time when we should rest and conserve our Qi (energy within the body). It is a chance to rebuild our strength for spring’s rapid burst of new life. Classically, the Chinese (and other cultures) believed that we should live in harmony with the seasons. This was especially relevant in times when human’s lives were dominated by the elements—simply catching a cold could be life threatening. Today, those of us living in the industrialized world suffer little from the extremes of nature yet learning to harmonize with each season can make a huge impact on our health and well-being.
Ruled by the Water element, winter governs the Kidneys, Bladder and adrenal glands. Called the ‘Root of Sealed storage’ one of the Kidney’s many functions is protect our Jing (essence). This essence is used a little everyday to nourish us, but extreme lifestyles or severe illness can deplete it rapidly. This essence cannot be rebuilt in quantity, but activities such as meditation, proper rest and nourishment will guard it from depleteing too quickly. Deficiency of essence appears as early greying of hair, problems with bones and teeth, poor development and early aging. The Kidneys also rule our will power and drive, they help fuel the fire that warms the other organs allowing them to transform food into energy (Qi). A deficiency here may appear as exhaustion, cold body, lack of sex drive and the will to move forward in life. But don’t worry, you can positivitely influence any condition of mind or body with a little direction. By learning to shift with the ebbs and flows of the season we can move through life with greater ease and winter is a wonderful time to learn how to replenish and rebuild your storage.
Winter can be an excellent time to replenish your deep reserves.
Below are some great ideas to help you rebuild during the cold months.
 Meditate
The benefits of meditation are innumerable and it is truly one of the most profound ways to help strengthen the Kidneys and overall well being.
Nourish yourself
Eat more seasonally appropriate foods like warm hearty soups, root vegetables, winter squash, whole grains, and roasted nuts, all help to warm the body’s core. Foods that specifically benefit the Kidneys include: kidney beans, seaweeds, and micro-algae.
Rest
Try to get to bed a little earlier to rest well. Studies now also link weight gain around the middle to excess stress combined with less than 7 hours of sleep.
Get moderate exercise
Movement lifts the spirits. If you don’t exercise much, bundle up and go for a walk. If you exercise excessively, slow down a little to conserve your Qi.
Brighten your space
Whether or not you celebrate the holidays, refresh your home or workspace with cheerful colors or seasonal décor. Holly’s bright berries, pine’s uplifting scent and a few splashes of red will add warmth to your home and enliven your spirit.
Get Acupuncture or Amma
A little rebalancing can go along way.
Laugh–Laughter is the sound associated with the fire element. The water and fire elements share a deep connection of mutual support and exchange. Laughter during the dark months can help warm the connection between Kidney and Heart and lift your spirit. “One’s health can be judged by which he takes two at a time–pills or stairs.”
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“Squash would be great for you to eat.”
It’s a common recommendation here at Pulse. Why? Simply put–pumpkin and winter squashes are the perfect food for strengthening your Spleen and your core. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
The winter squash family includes: acorn, butternut, Hubbard, pumpkins, spaghetti and turban squash–to name a few. They all have a tough outer rind or peel making them great for storage through the long winter months.
Western nutritionally speaking, all winter squashes are excellent sources of vitamins C, B1 and B6, niacin, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid and pantothenic acid. Squashes are high in carotenes, which gives their flesh its rich orange-gold coloring. The darker the flesh, the higher the concentration of carotenes which protect against cancer and type 2 diabetes.
From an Eastern nutritional perspective winter squash are the perfect food for the Spleen which rules the digestive system. The strength of your Spleen allows for toned muscles, strong vibrant energy, helps to support a strong immune system and is the basis for building Blood in the body. A healthy Spleen allows for clear thought and the ability to study—no more muzzy mind. Winter squash strengthens and warms the core, tonifies Qi and drains damp. Translation—they help regulate blood sugar, remove excess damp conditions like candida, phlegm and mucus and create a strong lasting energy and digestive system.
With their naturally sweet, neutral flavor winter squash can lend themselves easily to sweet or savory dishes. There nearly as many ways to cook squashes as their are varieties. The trick is to try several different ways of cooking to find what you like. However you choose to cook it, make sure it is tender all the way through but not mushy—unless you are making baby food. Below are some simple ideas.
Playing with flavors
Add Zest- Add a splash of lemon, lime or orange to brighten the flavor.
Sharp Cheese- grate on a little parmesan, feta or Asiago to bring out the squash’s nutty flavorings
Spice it up- Use savory combinations like curry, coriander and mace. Or sweeter combinations like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice.
Play with herbs- Squash’s earthy notes are perfectly complimented by sage, rosemary and thyme.
Choose your method of cooking
Sauté it- Peel and dice winter squash then season with salt and pepper. Toss in a little rosemary, sage and lemon to brighten the flavor.
Roast it. Winter squash cubes with other root vegetables like beets, onions, carrots and sweet potatoes. Try it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme and sage. You can also roast it with a sesame oil and tamari sauce.
Bake it- If your squash is small enough to fit in the oven whole simply puncture a few slits in it with a knife so it won’t burst while cooking. Cool and then clean out the seeds and the flesh should easily fall away from the peel. This is an excellent way to prep squash before using it in a soup or making pumpkin/squash pack for pies or baked goods like Cranberry Pumpkin Bread.
Steam it-diced squashed in a steamer basket for a moister squash.
Stuff it- acorn, butternut or small pumpkins that have been halved, cleaned and prebaked with a flavorful lentil or rice pilaf like Acorn Squash with Butternut Risotto
Toss it in the soup pot-check out these two great recipes for squash soups and stews. Try Curried Pumpkin Soup.
Fill ravioli- with a a squash puree with a little asiago or goat cheese.
Layer it- into lasagna, casseroles or au gratins.
Puree it-for a pasta sauce with a little broth and cream.
Mash it-as a side dish with a little butter and your favorite spice.
Contributed by April Crowell
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Contributed by Kim Rene
 For centuries, the Chinese have touted the benefits of mushrooms. Taoist sages believed that mushrooms protected them against illness and increased their longevity. Early Chinese text suggested that the Ganoderma (Reishi) had powers to protect the heart and liver, calm the mind, improve mental clarity, increase stamina and help the body resist infection. In 1928, this fungus gained acclaim in the Western world, with the discovery of Penicillin, this discovery encouraged a whole class of antibiotics we use today. Since then, scientists have confirmed these traditional beliefs by studying their effectiveness on a wide variety of illnesses and conditions. Loaded with polysaccharides, research on mushrooms have shown them to be effective cancers fighters, not by producing antitumor effects, but by strongly stimulating the immune response that activates macrophages which fight foreign pathogens. Many mushrooms also possess cytotoxic, antibacterial, antioxidant and antiviral properties.
In Chinese medicine, Winter is the season of the Kidneys which are the the root of our energy and gives us our impulse for life. During these Winter months, energy moves inward making it an ideal time to nourish at the root level. Keeping ourselves warm, getting plenty of rest and participating in activity that strengthens the core and tones the posture are all beneficial for the kidneys. Winter is also the ideal time to tone the yin energy of the body and strengthen our immune system. Mushrooms are an excellent source of nourishment for Winter. They are warm in nature and tone yin, blood and qi. Adding mushrooms to miso soup and stews is an easy way to get them into your diet. Additionally, there are a number of deeply nourishing mushroom formulas and tinctures available. Some of the mushrooms most beneficial to the kidney include Cordyceps, Coriolus, Poria, Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms.
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Fabulous Fiber
By April Crowell, Dipl.ABT, CHN
“Eat your muffin, it’s full of bran—it will make you move.” I’m not sure which was more bothersome at 14, eating the dry, flavorless muffin being presented to me or having my favorite grandmother get into a goofy discussion on bowel movements with me. Being around lots of elders, I was accustomed to what would come next if I didn’t eat the muffin. I could live without another lecture. Thankfully, I found ways to get the benefits of fiber in the diet without the torture of these bland foods.
As a practitioner of Amma Therapy and Holistic Health, I am continually amazed at how simple dietary shifts can have the most profound effects on client’s conditions–whether young or old. Fiber is a primary recommendation as diseases like diabetes, IBS, Crohn’s and obesity soar.
What is fiber?
Simply put, fiber is nature’s laxative and is the substance matter of plants that isn’t broken down by the body during digestion. It comes from the leaves, stems, seeds and secretions of plants.
What health benefits does fiber offer?
Although fiber doesn’t provide the body with energy, it is an essential nutrient for digestion and overall health. It adds bulk to the stools, absorbs excess water and softens the stools to make elimination of waste and toxins easier. It also:
 Lentils and legumes are excellent sources of fiber
- Protects your intestines and keeps them working comfortably to help move toxins and fecal matter out of the system
- Prevents constipation and hemorrhoids
- Absorbs excess moisture from the stools, reducing diarrhea
- Reduces the risk of cancers, especially colon cancer
- Reduces the risk and impact of diabetes by slowing glucose absorption to help regulate blood sugar
- Treats and prevents bowel disorders including: IBS, Crohn’s disease & diverticulitis
- Creates bulk in diet making you feel fuller, therefore aiding in weight loss
- Manages and lowers blood cholesterol levels
Where do you find fiber?
In a nutshell, fiber is found in whole, vegetable foods this includes: nuts, seeds, lentils, legumes, whole grains (with the bran), vegetables and fruits. If you’ve ever made jelly you have likely worked with pectin. Pectin is a soluable fiber found in the peel of fruits including apples and pears and gives jelly its texture. Most of the fiber in fruits and vegetable is found in the skins—so don’t peel your fruits! There are two forms of fiber or roughage:
Soluable Fibers
Soluable fibers mostly come from plant cell walls like apple and pear pectins (yep, the same stuff that gives jelly its texture), gums, mucilages and algals. They dissolve in water in the intestinal tract. This process helps to delay transit time through the GI tract, regulates your blood sugar by slowing absorption of glucose and lowers cholesterol.
Insoluable Fiber
Insoluable fiber, like bran, is “scratchy” plant matter that adds bulk to increases fecal weight to produce bowel movements, slows starch and glucose absorption.
| How much fiber do you need a day?The average American eats about 10-13 grams of fiber a day, that’s almost 1/2 of the daily recommendation—yikes!Today’s Standard American Diet (SAD) is heavy on refined and processed foods and full of meat products—foods that are nutrient dead and often void of fiber. |
The current adequate intake (AI) is
- Children, 4-8 years of age 25 grams/day
- Girls, 9-13 years of age 26 grams/day
- Boys, 9-13 years of age 31 grams/day
- Adults 38-40 grams/day
- Adults over 50 22 grams/day
Having more than 50 grams a day of fiber is not recommended. |
How to get more fiber into your diet
- Try to eat 5-7 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of whole grains daily.
- Gradually increase your intake—about 5 grams a day. If you have no idea of how much fiber you usually eat, track your diet for a week. There are many online sites like Calorie Counter where you can do this. If you add too much too fast it can cause gas and bloating.
- Eat seaweed! Seaweed has a wonderfully high fiber content, averaging about 32-56% of its it dry matter.
- Try your next baking project with coconut flour—it’s gluten free and marvelously high in fiber.
- Toss Chia seed into a smoothy or protein shake. Use it to thicken gravy or sprinkle it over your salad just before you eat it.
- Eat more whole grains like teff, amaranth, quinoa and millet. Rices and grains that have been hulled have much of their bran removed.
- Leave on the skin! Eat fruits (apples, pears, etc) and vegetables (cucumber, potatoes, etc) with their skins intact
- Add lentils and legumes into your diet. If you do not frequently eat them, add them slowly.
- Add in dips like hummus or white bean dips into your diet.
- Add in an organic bran cereal a few times a week.
- Water please! Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses per day, to help move the fiber through your system.
- Spice it up! Dried herbs and spices are packed with fiber. 1 T of cinnamon boasts 4.2 grams of fiber; rosemary, savory and other spices aren’t far behind.
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A Few Fiber Foods
|
Food |
Amount |
Grams Fiber |
| Grains |
|
|
|
coconut flour |
1 cup |
48 |
|
navy beans |
1 cup |
19 |
|
amaranth |
1 cup |
18 |
|
black beans |
1 cup |
16 |
|
red lentils |
1 cup |
16 |
|
split peas |
1 cup |
16 |
|
rolled oats |
1 cup |
12 |
|
quinoa |
1 cup |
10 |
|
soybeans |
1 cup |
8.6 |
|
whole wheat pasta |
1 cup |
6 |
|
brown rice |
1 cup |
3.5 |
|
whole wheat bread |
1 slice |
2 |
|
white bread |
2 slices |
1.9 |
| Vegetables |
|
|
|
kombu |
2T |
9 |
|
peas |
1 cup |
8.8 |
|
avacado |
1 med |
6.8 |
|
carrots |
2 medium |
5.2 |
|
winter squash |
1 cup |
5 |
|
sweet potato |
1 medium |
4 |
|
kale (raw) |
1 cup |
1.3 |
| Nuts & Seeds |
|
|
|
chia seeds |
2T |
7 |
|
flax seed |
2T |
4.8 |
|
almonds |
1/4 cup |
4 |
|
tahini |
2T |
3 |
|
walnuts |
1/4 cup |
3 |
| Fruits |
|
|
|
raspberries |
1 cup |
6.2 |
|
pear (with skin) |
1 medium |
4 |
|
apple (with skin) |
1 medium |
4 |
|
prunes |
4 dried |
3.1 |
|
apricots (dried) |
1/4 cup |
3.5 |
|
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 Sniffle, sniffle, cough…
The dismal mantra is already echoing in schools, stores and workplaces.Fall is here, and with it cold, and flu season. This is an excellent time to take some simple measures to reduce your chances of coming down with ‘something nasty’.
What are colds? What is the flu? Why do we catch them? Why do some people never catch colds? Why do others always catch them? We all wonder, fortunately, Chinese Medicine (CM) can clear up many of these questions.
Exterior invasion by pathogens of wind, cold or heat are the primary culprits according to CM. Pathogens manifest in the body in ways descriptive of their names, for example: wind moves quickly, creates itching and attacks the neck and joints. Cold contracts tightening the muscles and the person will feel cold. If there is heat the person will be thirsty, may sweat and have a fever.
According to Chinese medicine there are two main reasons that a pathogen can invade our body:
- The pathogen is exceptionally strong.
OR
- Our immune system is compromised and we are weak allowing a pathogen to enter our bodies.
Exceptionally strong pathogens are seen in cases of serious epidemics, where people with even the strongest immune systems might fall prey to their devastation–think of the Black Plague.
Good news is, Chinese medicine has been successfully treating colds and flu for thousands of years.
ACT NOW!
If you feel like you are ‘under the weather’, do what you can (see below). Stop your regular multivitamins and tonifying herbs–they will strengthen the body in the condition it is in–making the cold stronger. And then call and get in for an appointment. Get Amma or Acupuncture to stimulate your immune system.
- Know thyself - this means your body’s patterns. Chinese medicine at its best is educational, by learning whether your system has excess, deficiency or weakness in particular organs you can learn to balance out your system–your practitioner can help learn your body’s patterns and how to treat in illness and strengthen in times of wellness. For example: if you chronically get colds, sinus infections or strep throat, get in now to learn how to prevent and treat them more holistically.
- Should you come in for treatment if you are feeling under the weather? Yes! At Pulse, will be able to help stimulate your immune system and treat the specific pattern (fever, chills, dull headache, sharp headache, etc.) that you are dealing with. However, if you are unable to drive–please stay home.
- Sweat it out- During the first 24 hours of a cold invasion if you can get into a hot tub or bundle up to sweat, you can often drive the cold back out to the exterior. This is not advised for those who are weak, deficient, yin deficient or bleeding–don’t know if you are? Come in.
- ACEZ–add in vitamins A, C, E and zinc.
- Drink echinacea, ginger tea or a cold tea combination.
- Be prepared for the next time-no one loves to run to the store when they are ill, so stock your cupboards now with teas, herbs and liniments to help you through the season.
Be well!
By April Crowell, Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM), CHN
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 We are glad you asked!
Nutritional and dietary habits are some of the most profound changes we can make that will have a broad effect on our well-being. Whether we eat processed fast foods, eat irregularly or enjoy a healthy whole foods diet–our relationship with food defines how we live.
What can nutritional changes treat?
Honestly, what can’t it treat or radically improve? Almost anyone will benefit from increasing the vegetables in their diet. Still, no two people are alike and we have different nutritional goals and needs, your Holistic Nutritionist can help you understand your individual needs help you incorporate specific foods to meet those goals. Below is a short list of disharmonies that can be treated or improved through nutrition.
- acne
- acute disease (colds–yep, ideally, you change your diet to treat the current condition present)
- arthritis
- autism
- bronchitis
- cancer
- candida
- chronic fatigue
- chronic or acute pain
- cystic fibrosis
- depression
- diabetes
- eating disorders
- fibromyalgia
- gall bladder disorders
- gout
- headaches
- high blood pressure
- hyper/hypo thyroid
- improved athletic performance
- infertility
- irritable bowel, Crohn’s, Diverticulitis
- liver disease
- menopause
- MS
- menstrual disharmonies
- pms
- recovery or injury
- weight loss
Eat well, be well!
April
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Candida Albicans is a naturally occurring, single celled fungus present in the intestines and genitalia that is usually benign. Normally, the body balances the growth of candida in a healthy individual. Yeast overgrowth occurs when the body cannot balance a healthy ratio of candida, either due to depleted immune or digestive system and inappropriate diet. In such cases, candida will cause infection and increased toxins in the body. It is estimated that more than 80 million Americans suffer from candida overgrowth. The pattern causes a myriad of symptoms including: fatigue, vaginal yeast infections, sinus and throat infections, skin rashes, mucus in the stools and weight gain–to name just a few. Usage of antibiotics, birth control, cortisone drugs and diets high in sugar and refined foods increase chances of yeast overgrowth.
Fortunately, candida overgrowth is highly treatable! At Pulse, your Holistic Nutritionist will be able to create individualize treatments and dietary plans through detailed assessment of tongue, pulse, personal constitution and current nutritional habits. Recommendations and treatments (often including Chinese Herbs, Amma Therapy and acupuncture) will then focus on not just the acute pattern (candida) but the underlying causes, thereby helping to rebuild the digestive and immune systems.
Below are a few general guidelines for treating candida.
- Eat cooked foods. Candida is a form of dampness in Chinese Medicine, a sign that the digestive fire is weak. Cold and raw foods weaken or put out the digestive fire.
- Increase your vegetables to 7-9 servings a day.
- Plan ahead! Dietary changes are imperative for effective treatment of candida. Your nutritionist can help you learn how to meal plan effectively.
- Reduce glutenous foods. Again, candida is ‘damp’, gluten perpetuates this condition. Gluten free grains include: millet, amaranth and brown rice.
- Increase damp decreasing foods like: pumpkin, aduki bean, chick peas, winter squash and onions.
Again, your practitioner will be able to better hone a specific treatment plan to your needs to call or book today.
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 By April Crowell, Dipl.ABT, CHN
“Eat your muffin, it’s full of bran—it will make you move.” I’m not sure which was more bothersome at 14, eating the dry, flavorless muffin being presented to me or having my favorite grandmother get into a goofy discussion on bowel movements with me. Being around lots of elders, I was accustomed to what would come next if I didn’t eat the muffin. I could live without another lecture. Thankfully, I found ways to get the benefits of fiber in the diet without the torture of these bland foods.
As a practitioner of Amma Therapy and Holistic Health, I am continually amazed at how simple dietary shifts can have the most profound effects on client’s conditions–whether young or old. Fiber is a primary recommendation as diseases like diabetes, IBS, Crohn’s and obesity soar.
What is fiber?
Simply put, fiber is nature’s laxative and is the substance matter of plants that isn’t broken down by the body during digestion. It comes from the leaves, stems, seeds and secretions of plants.
What health benefits does fiber offer?
Although fiber doesn’t provide the body with energy, it is an essential nutrient for digestion and overall health. It adds bulk to the stools, absorbs excess water and softens the stools to make elimination of waste and toxins easier. It also:
- Protects your intestines and keeps them working comfortably to help move toxins and fecal matter out of the system
- Prevents constipation and hemorrhoids
- Absorbs excess moisture from the stools, reducing diarrhea
- Reduces the risk of cancers, especially colon cancer
- Reduces the risk and impact of diabetes by slowing glucose absorption to help regulate blood sugar
- Treats and prevents bowel disorders including: IBS, Crohn’s disease & diverticulitis
- Creates bulk in diet making you feel fuller, therefore aiding in weightloss
- Manages and lowers blood cholesterol levels
Where do you find fiber?
In a nutshell, fiber is found in whole, vegetable foods this includes: nuts, seeds, lentils, legumes, whole grains (with the bran), vegetables and fruits. If you’ve ever made jelly you have likely worked with pectin. Pectin is a soluable fiber found in the peel of fruits including apples and pears and gives jelly its texture. Most of the fiber in fruits and vegetable is found in the skins—so don’t peel your fruits! There are two forms of fiber or roughage:
Soluable Fibers
Soluable fibers mostly come from plant cell walls like apple and pear pectins (yep, the same stuff that gives jelly its texture), gums, mucilages and algals. They dissolve in water in the intestinal tract. This process helps to delay transit time through the GI tract, regulates your blood sugar by slowing absorption of glucose and lowers cholesterol.
Insoluable Fiber
Insoluable fiber, like bran, is “scratchy” plant matter that adds bulk to increases fecal weight to produce bowel movements, slows starch and glucose absorption.
How much fiber do you need a day?
The average American eats about 10-13 grams of fiber a day, that’s almost 1/2 of the daily recommendation—yikes!
Today’s Standard American Diet (SAD) is heavy on refined and processed foods and full of meat products—foods that are nutrient dead and often void of fiber.
The current adequate intake (AI) is
Children, 4-8 years of age 25 grams/day
Girls, 9-13 years of age 26 grams/day
Boys, 9-13 years of age 31 grams/day
Adults 38-40 grams/day
Adults over 50 22 grams/day
Having more than 50 grams a day of fiber is not recommended.
How to get more fiber into your diet
- Try to eat 5-7 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of whole grains and daily to meet your body’s fiber needs.
- Gradually increase your intake—about 5 grams a day. If you have no idea of how much fiber you usually eat, track your diet for a week. There are many online sites like Calorie Counter where you can do this. If you add too much too fast it can cause gas and bloating.
- Eat seaweed! Seaweed has a wonderfully high fiber content, averaging about 32-56% of its it dry matter.
- Try your next baking project with coconut flour—it’s gluten free and marvelously high in fiber.
- Toss Chia seeds into a smoothy or protein shake. Use it to thicken gravy or sprinkle it over your salad just before you eat it.
- Eat more whole grains like teff, amaranth, quinoa and millet. Rices and grains that have been hulled have much of their bran removed.
- Leave on the skin! Eat fruits (apples, pears, etc) and vegetables (cucumber, potatoes, etc) with their skins intact
- Add lentils and legumes into your diet. If you do not frequently eat them, add them slowly.
- Add in dips like hummus or white bean dips into your diet.
- Add in an organic bran cereal a few times a week.
- Water please! Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses per day, to help move the fiber through your system.
- Spice it up! Dried herbs and spices are packed with fiber. 1 T of cinnamon boasts 4.2 grams of fiber; rosemary, savory and other spices aren’t far behind.
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 As Autumn creeps in I stock my cupboards with a few items to prevent and treat colds and flu. Gan Mao Ling, Kwan Loong oil, vitamin C, Immustim or Wellness Formula, to name a few, but one of my favorites is simple and reliable elderberry tea and syrup.
All parts of the elder plant have a long history in folk medicine. The flower is used to promote sweating and resolve phlegm from exterior pathogens. The inner bark and root are used as strong emetics and to relieve stubborn constipation. The leaves and berries can be made into poultices with vinegar or honey to relieve damp heat in the skin such as poison ivy.
Elderberry syrup is one of the first things that I reach for when someone is starting to fight a cold or flu. From a Chinese medicine perspective there are two major reasons that we get sick: either our system is weak and susceptible to exterior invasion (Lung qi and wei qi deficiency) or the pathogen is exceptionally strong relative to us (think of plagues). Elderberry helps to strengthen any Lung deficiency condition, giving your immune system a powerful boost. It is antiviral and anti-infective, perfect for fighting off those pesky viruses. The berry also has expectorant, diaphoretic and diuretic properties to help move fluids, the bowels and relieve phlegm. It even helps treat food poisoning. Elderberry is high in calcium, vitamins A, C and B6 and iron—and, best of all, it’s tasty and kids don’t usually mind it.
So how do I use it?
I start to use elderberry tea (often mixed with other teas like berry or nettles) several times a week at the start of school or weather transitions. The syrup is handy for if one of my family comes home ‘a little under the weather’ or having been around someone who was sick we take a tablespoon 2-3 x a day for one day. For someone who actually gets sick, I recommend taking the syrup through the course of the cold. Remember to get rest and get in to see your Amma Therapist or Acupuncturist for treatment!
Be well and stay healthy this season.
Contributed by April Crowell
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Here’s a few tips to help keep you cool this summer
Occassionally, we spend too much time in the sun, or the season changes so rapidly that we have problems adapting. Here are some simple tips to use when Summer heat invades.
Get out of the sun, and cool off—but not too much! Excessive cold will contract the pores and stop sweat—keeping heat locked in the body.
Reduce your activity.
Include the foods listed in Expanding into Summer’s Light.
Drink plenty of water. Again, avoid excessively cold drinks as they will chill you too rapidly and stop sweating and damage the tissues.
Avoid heavy foods like nuts, dairy, fried, meat and sweets that will stagnate the qi in the body.
If you aren’t sweating use mild pungent foods gently to start sweat: cayenne, cinnamon, curry, pepper, etc.
Come in for a treatment. Acupuncture and Amma Therapy are excellent ways to help the body regulate and adjust to the changing season.
contributed by April Crowell
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 Wheat Grass Juice
Spring is an excellent time to try wheat grass juice for the added boost it can provide the body. Wheatgrass juice is the juice made from sprouted wheat. Just a single ounce of wheatgrass juice has the nutritional equivalent than 2 pounds of garden vegetables. It raises the basic nitrogen exchange, and is therefore a tonic, which, considering its stimulating properties, cannot be compared with any other. Wheatgrass juice is very high in enzymes and chlorophyll. It contains up to 70% chlorophyll, which is an important blood builder. It is especially good for athletes, because it is a juice, and is assimilated by the body in 20 minutes.
The starch of the wheat berry is stored energy which, when converted to simple sugars, is a quick energy source. Wheat grass picks up 92 of the 102 minerals in the soil, and contains all the vitamins science has isolated. Because it is such a concentrated source of nutrients, it naturally shuts off the appetite centers in the brain.
Wheatgrass juice is perhaps the most powerful and safest healing aid there is because it has the ability to strengthen the whole body by bolstering the immune system.
When the immune system, (Wei Qi), is strong, the body can easily withstand invasion of foreign pathogens (bacterial and viral).
Externally the high chlorophyll content makes it well suited as an external skin application. It relieves itchiness from rashes, insect bites and helps heal burns as well. Wheatgrass juice is also effective in soothing the skin as result of burns caused by radiation. Radiation protocol used in cancer treatments often produces severe burning of the local area radiated. Fresh wheatgrass can be applied as a plaster to any burn, cooling and moistening the burned area after each treatment. A severe sunburn can also benefit from wheatgrass plasters.
When chlorophyll is taken internally in adequate quantity, it reduces or eliminates offensive body and breath odors. Studies show that it is effective in neutralizing obnoxious odors in the mouth from food, beverages, tobacco, and metabolic changes causing bad breath. It effectively neutralizes obnoxious odors from perspiration due to physical exercise, nervousness and menstrual odors.
Chlorophyll also stimulates peristalsis, improves the intestines, and is a mild diuretic. Science has proven that chlorophyll will arrest growth and development of unfriendly bacteria. It acts to produce an unfavorable environment for bacterial growth, rather than by any direct action upon the bacteria themselves. This is directly opposite of antibiotics which destroy all good and bad bacteria in the gut creating conditions of overgrowth by the many bacteria.
You can find wheatgrass juice locally at any of the juice bars and at the co-op. Or, try growing your own and juicing yourself!
Drinking Suggestions:
ORANGE GRASS
1 oz Wheatgrass
3 oz. carrot juice |
WHEATGRASS ENTRÉE
1 oz Wheatgrass
1 oz beet juice
2 oz celery
4 oz carrot juice |
WHEATGRASS RUSH
1 oz Wheatgrass
1 oz beet juice
1 oz apple juice
2 oz carrot juice |
SWEET WHEATGRASS
1 oz Wheatgrass
3 oz pineapple |
HAPPILY APPLEY
1 oz Wheatgrass
4 oz apple juice |
VEGETABLE TREAT
1 oz Wheatgrass
2 oz spinach
2 oz beet juice
2 oz carrot juice
1 clove garlic
½ tsp. cayenne |
Reproduced from Pulse spring newsletter 2009
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