Vitamin D: The Sunlight Vitamin

Winter is dark. You go to work in the dark and come home 
in the dark. On December 21, the shortest day of the year, 
people in Miami can expect about 10 ½ hours daytime while 
people in Seattle will only have about 8 ½ hours.

Short days mean more than just coping with dark commutes. Without enough sunlight, your body can’t produce Vitamin D.

Your body needs sunlight to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium and regulating the immune system. It keeps your brain healthy, helps you maintain your weight and helps reduce your risk of cancer and heart attacks.

Low levels of Vitamin D are linked with many health risks. Vitamin D deficiency can cause Rickets, a condition of soft, weak bones, but it also plays a role in heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Studies have even linked it with an increased likelihood of catching a cold.

Scientists disagree about the extent of the problem. Different studies estimate from 10 – 75% of US teens and adults to have a Vitamin D deficiency. But everyone agrees that Vitamin D levels are dropping.

Certain groups have a higher incidence of Vitamin D deficiency. Blacks and Hispanics have the lowest levels of Vitamin D. People with no college education, obesity, poor health, hypertension, low HDL cholesterol or who don’t consume milk daily also show deficiencies.

But everyone should be concerned. Because more and more people use sunscreens, stay indoors, or wear long sleeves, scientists and doctors worry that Vitamin D deficiency will continue to grow.

How to Increase your Vitamin D

Sunlight is the best way to increase your Vitamin D however it’s a tricky balance. Using just a SPF 15 sunscreen cuts the skin’s Vitamin D production by 99 percent. But of course, soaking in the sun without sunscreen may increase your risk of skin cancer.

There are several dietary sources for Vitamin D. Fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, and mackerel contain healthy amounts. Some fortified foods like milk, orange juice or cereal contain high Vitamin D levels. Cod liver oil is also high.

Supplements are another option. Vitamin D3 is the best supplement form to take for those who have deficiencies. Vitamin D requires other fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A and K and certain trace minerals in order to be properly utilized by the body. Use a holistic view when you choose your supplement. Consult with your acupuncturist if you are unsure which is best for you.

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Wash Up 

Your Grandmother was right—wash your hands! Wash them before meals, after meals, and periodically through the day. It’s not just old-fashioned hygiene; it’s good medical sense.

Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent a cold. Doctors tell us that adults average 2 – 4 colds/year and children average 6 – 8 colds/year. Washing your hands reduces the bacteria and viruses on your hands, decreasing your exposure to the germs that cause colds. Even the FDA recommends that the best defense against colds is plain old hand washing.

When you wash your hands, lather up and wash your entire hand—front and back. Lather for a full 20 seconds, a very long time if you’re not used to it. Try singing the Happy Birthday song twice to estimate the time.

Research shows that there is no increased benefit from using anti-bacterial soap. Use common hand soap but be sure to scrub the whole time. Most of the benefit of hand washing is simply rinsing the germs off your hands.

If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, then hand sanitizer is the next best thing. Not all hand sanitizers are equal. Look for alcohol based sanitizers and avoid anything with triclosan. For added natural benefits, look for hand sanitizers with essential oils.

Getting A Full Night's Sleep

Getting A Full Night’s Sleep

In the winter, it’s dark when your alarm goes off. It’s dark and cold and getting out of bed is even harder than usual.

But like most people, you get up anyway. You start your day groggy and plow through until you fall into bed exhausted.

If you find yourself dreaming of a time when you wake up refreshed, have energy all day long, and go to sleep easily, you’re not alone. More and more people struggle with exhaustion.

In many cases the culprit is sleep deprivation.

As a nation we are getting less and less sleep. The average person gets 500 fewer hours of sleep each year than 100 years ago.

And the decrease in sleep takes its toll. Short term effects of sleep deprivation include irritability, memory loss, drowsiness, trouble concentrating, blurry vision, and impaired judgment. Heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and type 2 diabetes can result from long term sleep deprivation.

Clearly, you need sleep to be healthy.

For most people, not sleeping enough can be attributed to two key problems. Some people don’t allow enough time for sleep. Others want to sleep but can’t.

Schedule Time to Sleep

The most obvious way to get more sleep is simple but not easy.

Sleep more.

In today’s busy world where parents work all day, attend school events all night, balance personal time with couple time, run the household and give to the community, it’s easy to run out of hours in the day.

And besides the demands of work, family and community, even advocates for your personal growth demand your time. Some personal development advisors will suggest that if you just get up one hour earlier every morning, you’ll have 365 extra hours every year to accomplish your goals.

But the lack of sleep catches up with you. Soon the lack of focus will defeat the extra hours you gain in the day. Time spent sick will reduce your productivity. You’ll be prone to accidents and forgetfulness.

A much healthier balance is to accept that you can’t do it all. Block out sleep time in your schedule before you plan other activities. If you are over age 18, allow at least 7 – 8 hours. Guard your sleep time to guarantee your body the rest it deserves.

How to Fall Asleep at Bedtime

Some people find it hard to fall asleep. If your life is highly stimulating, your body is active, your nervous system is cranked and your emotions are on edge all day long. It’s hard to turn off after you’ve gone 100mph.

If falling asleep is a relatively new problem, try some natural remedies. However, if your problem is chronic, talk with your doctor or acupuncturist. Once you’re sure that nothing serious is going on, try natural remedies to fall asleep.

• Essential Oils. Essential Oils are very calming. Buy some high quality oils and put a couple drops on a cloth by your pillow. Start with Lavender or Roman Chamomile.
• Homeopathy. Picking a homeopathic remedy can be tricky, so it’s easiest to start with a prepared blend. Ask your Health Food Store what sleep remedies they carry.
• Acupuncture. Visit your acupuncturist for a tune-up.
• Herbs. Many herbs calm the nerves and induce sleep. Herbs are usually taken as teas or tinctures. Start with Lavender, Chamomile or Valerian or ask for help choosing one at your Health Food Store.
• Reduce noise and light. Noise and light stimulation can make it harder to sleep. Cover your windows completely. If your bedroom is noisy, try using a white noise generator or play soothing music as you fall asleep.
• Create a sleep routine. Many experts say that you can train yourself to sleep by creating a bedtime ritual. Go to bed at the same time every night. No stimulants near bedtime including coffee, tea, chocolate, or stimulating activities. Take a warm bath to relax. And when you are in bed, practice a few minutes of deep breathing. Any routine done regularly will train your body to sleep.

Without enough sleep, you are susceptible to more than just discomfort and drowsiness; your health is at stake. The darkness of winter is a great time to start the habit of sleeping for health. With enough hours of restful sleep, when your alarm goes off you’ll be refreshed and ready for a new day.

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Points Toward Health

Rubbing acupressure points with your finger for 30-60 seconds can stimulate these points and promote health and well-being.

Kidney 27 (KD 27)

Location:Located off the breastbone, in the hollow below the collarbone. There may be a slight indentation.

Function:
Strengthens the immune system, relieves allergies, alleviates drowsiness, chest congestion, breathing difficulties, asthma, coughing, hiccups, sore throats, anxiety, premenstrual tension, and depression. Also used to improve focus and performance.

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Kidney 6 (KD6)

Location:In the small indentation approximately 1 inch directly below the inside ankle bone.

Function:
Used for painful, swollen and sore throat, tightness in the throat, painful and red eyes, sleep disturbances, dizziness, irregular and painful menstruation, post-partum difficulties, genital problems, chest fullness, leg tightness, heavy limbs, ankle and foot pain.

Kichadi Recipe

Similar to Chinese congee, kichadi is nourishing, comforting and deeply healing.  Kichadi is recommended for people doing panchakarma, an Ayurvedic cleansing therapy.  It is easily digested and extremely detoxifying for the liver and gallbladder and cleansing for the heart and vascular system.

There are many kichadi recipes...this is just one of them.  Feel free to experiment with other herbs and ingredients that suit your taste.

Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS

Rice (Organic Basmati): 1 cup

Split Yellow Dal (Lentils): 1 cup

Tumeric: 1 heaping tablespoon

Cumin (ground): ½ teaspoon

Coriander (ground): ½ teaspoon

Mustard Seeds: ¼ teaspoon

Celtic Sea Salt: 1-3 pinches – or more if needed

Fresh Ginger – 3 slices/quarter size – skinned and chopped

Organic cold-pressed Coconut Oil AND/OR Ghee – 1 tablespoon of each

Onion (chopped): ½ medium size

Cilantro - optional (coarsely chopped): 1/8 cup - garnish

Lime – optional: 1 wedge
Yogurt - optional: 1 to a few tablespoons as a topping

HOW TO MAKE

1 - Soak rice & dal (at least 2 hrs., if possible, esp. for sensitive digestion) then rinse.

2 – In a 3-quart size pot, heat Ghee and/or coconut oil at medium heat – add mustard seeds and sauté till they pop – don’t let them burn.

3 – Add onions and sauté until slightly browned. 

4 - Then add herbs and spices (except salt and ginger) and continue sautéing for a few minutes.

5 – Add rinsed rice & dal to pot, along with fresh ginger.

6 - Mix rice & dal with herbs/onions for few minutes (no more than 5 min)

NOTE: No water has been added yet so make sure rice & dal /herbs are stirred frequently so they don’t stick to pan and burn.  If needed, add small amount of ghee or coconut oil.

7 – Add 4 cups water, cover, and cook at med/low heat for 45 min-1hr.  Stir after mixture is almost completely cooked down.  If more water is needed while cooking, add small amounts at a time (~1/4 cup or less) and stir until mixed.

8 – Salt, cilantro, yogurt, and lime can be added after Kichadi is cooked.  Season to one’s liking.

CJ Grand Health Spa

Since we talk so much about this place we thought we should just put a link to their site.  CJ Grand Spa is a clean, comfortable, Korean Spa located in Northridge.  They offer various kinds of massage, body scrubs, aromatherapy and acupressure that range from $45 to $115.


The entrance fee is only $20 and gives you access to the sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, cold plunge, and clean, upscale shower and locker rooms.  Men and women have their own sections since everyone is usually nude.  Upstairs, it's CoEd so you have to wear the funny gym shorts and t shirts they provide for you when you first arrive.  There you can enjoy the hot, rock-salt room, two different hot rooms with tatami-like mats to stretch or nap in, an arctic chill room that's actually very comfortable, an exercise room, a tv relax zone and a kitchen that serves pretty standard Korean food.


It's a great place that we highly recommend.  
You can read about them on Yelp -  http://www.yelp.com/biz/cj-grand-health-spa-northridge 
and get more info on their website - http://www.cjgrandspa.com/.


Enjoy!

Some Warming Foods For The Cold Months

The following is taken from an article called Seasonal Harmony by Ellesara.

Learning basics about each season, foods and having basic seasonal recipes become foundations from which we can easily incorporate more information and fall back upon when we have simple questions. For example, last week an elderly friend of mine got a chill and couldn’t get warm. When I went over to her home with my “ginger tea kit” her fingers were like ice cubes. I made her basic ginger tea, (recipe below) and before she finished her first cup, she felt warm and the circulation had returned to her fingers. Ginger is a yang food that aids digestion and generally balances the forces in your body.

Basic Ginger Tea
1” fresh ginger – sliced, chopped
4-5 scallions – whites only
Rind of one dried tangerine
4 cups of water
Rock/Brown sugar/honey to taste

Add all the ingredients together and bring to a boil Simmer for no more than 5 minutes as it will get bitter. Remove the foods. Drink hot.

Additionally, I want to mention that every culture has food cures and food combinations for increasing health. Often, the purposes for these foods have been forgotten, even when the custom has been retained. For example, the parents of a friend of mine are from Poland and her mother makes bone marrow soup in the winter simply because “it is good for you to eat in the winter.” When we consult Five Element Theory, we see that bone marrow soup is an excellent winter energy soup that supports the Kidney function (recipe below).

Basic Bone Marrow Soup
Ingredients
1 lb marrow bones
1-1/2 quarts water
2” sliced ginger
6 scallion whites
1 bay leaf

Part 2

1 diced carrot
1 diced stalk celery
1 quartered plum tomato
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup cilantro/parsley

Directions
Put the marrow bones, bay leaf, ginger, and scallions in the water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 3 hours

Let cool--Poke marrow out of bones and discard everything except water. You should now have about 3 cups of broth.

Add veggies, cover and cook till veggies are done. add salt and pepper to taste.. .serve and sprinkle with cilantro

To this basic recipe you can add other root vegetables, such as turnip, or green vegetables such as kale. Adjust this to your own taste. Bone marrow soup is considered to be a strengthening soup that is good for prevention and also if someone has been ill.

Further, it is helpful to have seasonal guildelines. Things that are particularly good to do or pay attention to in a given season. Often, they remind me of things my Mom said when I was growing up. Simple things such as, eat a good warm breakfast, especially in the winter.


Winter Energy Cereal

Ingredients
1/2 cup of rice
6 cups of water
½ cup toasted black sesame seeds
½ cup toasted crushed walnuts
3 TB honey
½ tsp salt

Directions
Cover the rice in 2 cups of water and soak for 2 hours.

Toast the walnuts and crush. A simple crushing method is to place the walnuts in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin.

Toast the black sesame seeds.

Drain the excess water off the rice.

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and mix.

Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is thoroughly cooked and all the water has been absorbed. Stir the cereal frequently as it is cooking. The texture of the cereal at this stage is like a thick porridge or cornmeal mush. The rice is creamy and the sesame seeds are still slightly crunchy.

To make into a breakfast cereal: add ½ cup boiling water to ½ cup of cereal – optional: a touch of cinnamon Yield: 4 cups

Serving size ½ cup


Basic Congee

1 cup of white rice (or ½ cup short grain rice and ½ cup of long grain rice)

8-10 cups of water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer for about 3 hours.

This makes a basic rice porridge which is very easy to digest and which can be eaten at any time of year. To it, you can add shredded ginger, chopped scallion whites, lightly steamed vegetables, pieces of fish, pickled vegetables, etc.

A few other winter guidelines that are in accord with TCM/Five Element Theory are: Raw foods are cooling and should be avoided in the winter when warming foods are best emphasized, such as eating warming, hearty soups*, cooked whole grains, root vegetables and toasted nuts. These kinds of foods warm the center of the body and their heat stays with you longer. Since winter energy is about storing and rest, it is good to go to bed earlier and get very restful sleep, lighten one’s activities list, if possible and spend more time in contemplation and meditation.


*Kidney Bean, Tomato & Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2TB walnut oil
1 medium red onion
4 cloves of garlic – slivered
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped parsnip
½ cup chopped yam
14 oz can of plum tomatoes
½ tsp rosemary
3 half dollar slices of ginger
2 small dried hot red peppers (or to personal taste)
1 15 oz can of kidney beans
5 cups of water
3 cups of Kombachu or butternut or hubbard squash, diced into 1 inch cubes
Salt to taste, ground pepper
Chopped cilantro/parsley garnish

Directions
Heat the oil in a saucepan/wok/dutch oven and add the onion. . .cook until it is just softened. Add the garlic, parsnip, yam and cook for about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add the tomatoes, rosemary, ginger, peppers, beans and water

Bring to a soft boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 1/2 hour – stir occasionally

Add squash and simmer for about 1 hour until squash is tender. Check liquid levels, add water if necessary and don’t forget to stir occasionally.

Add salt and ground pepper, adjust seasonings to personal taste.

Garnish each bowl with a sprig of cilantro or parsley.