Autumn Newsletter, 2012
Autumn: Preparing for Winter and
Voting our Conscience?
Can you believe it is already late autumn? Summer is the time of bounty from our gardens or farmer's markets and long, hot days whereas autumn is the time of cooler and shorter days and different seasonal foods. Autumn is the season for slowing down and for nourishing ourselves to prepare for winter. This is the also the season for voting on our political preferences or principles.
So although I don't normally comment publicly on political issues, I must follow my conscience and discuss my thoughts on such an important topic as labeling food that has been genetically modified.
Please read my thoughts below on California's Proposition 37, our Right to Know Act.
To a nourishing, calm autumn,
Sheryl Sanchez, L.Ac.
Preparation for Winter
In autumn, our diet should move from the cooler, uncooked foods of summer, such as salads and fresh fruit, to the warmer, cooked foods such as soups and steamed vegetables, including the bounty of the seasonal fall squashes. We should also start our day with a hot breakfast, such as oatmeal or eggs, away from cold cereals, yogurt and fruit.
In Chinese Medicine, this time of year represents the Lung energy, which governs immunity. The Lung also governs the skin, the outer layer of our body, which protects us. The Lung energy also includes the nasal and sinus passages, which are our first-line defense against the pathogenic influences we may encounter. Now is a good time to boost the immunity before the winter hits, with herbs such as Astragalus, Cordyceps and Schizandra, and medicinal mushrooms, such as Shiitake and Reishi. (See the sidebar for products I recommend which contain these herbs.) One recipe I give to patients that uses both astragalus and shiitakes is this Astragalus Tonic Soup recipe. I like this recipe since it is a typical American healthy soup recipe vs. a true Chinese medicinal one, so all the ingredients are easily obtainable (and Astragalus can be obtained from any Chinese herbalist, such as myself). Meanwhile, here are a few fun and healthy pumpkin recipes for the season also:
Gluten-free Pumpkin Blender Muffins
Grain-free Pumpkin Porridge
Properties of Food and
Genetic Modification
Nutrition is the most important way to heal, support and nourish the body. Diet or nutritional planning, or food therapy as we call it in Chinese Medicine, is how we do this. In Chinese Medicine, we look at the properties of food to more specifically nourish the body. Everything we consume - all plants and animal proteins, including dairy - have specific, individual properties. Correspondingly, each of us has specific, individual properties as well. One can think of it as our 'constitution'.
When we have health problems, whether as simple as a common cold or as complex as an auto-immune disorder, there is an imbalance in the body. In Chinese Medicine, we discuss balancing 'patterns of disharmony', which correspond to the weak or excess nature of the organ systems. For example, when an organ is weak in the body, we will strengthen it, whereas when there is excess, such as a pathogen, we will eliminate it and therefore our natural balance will occur and health will be restored. In food or herbal therapy, we can balance the body by knowing the diagnosis, or pattern of disharmony, and then recommend a treatment plan based on the properties of the food or herbs.
But the properties, or energetics of our food is being altered. One example is the hybridization of wheat since the 1940's which has resulted in a plant with more gluten proteins (and hence more gluten intolerance and the myriad of health conditions that can arise), other non-gluten proteins and enzymes that can cause allergic reactions, asthma and dermatological conditions, increased joint inflammation, and the creation of exorphins which are opioid-like compounds that cross the blood-brain barrier, resulting in an addictive effect. These are all research proven changes to wheat.1 So one has the natural next question - how do you think the genetic modification of plants will affect them? Especially when the current primary genetic modification is implanting pesticides into the plant? I cannot postulate as to exactly how the energetics of the plant will be affected. Wheat was mainly genetically modified for a altruistic goal - to raise more wheat to feed the hungry of the world. Other modifications were related to enhance its baking characteristics, a seemingly innocuous goal itself also.
My logic tells me that we need to be very careful in allowing modifications to our food supply in such a large scale as already has been done in the case of genetically modifying corn with pesticide genes. I can postulate that the the energetic changes would not be positive since I believe that there are unknown consequences of such an action. A few countries believe so also, such as Russia, which just recently banned the import of GMO corn,2 and France.3.
Over 60 countries in the world require labeling of genetically modified food.4 So far, research has shown such things as increased risk of tumors5 and signs of hepatorenal (liver and kidney) toxicity6. Additionally, we may need to be concerned about how these modified plants affect our soil and organisms in the soil, and how the animal proteins we consume are affected by consuming these foods as well .7
I urge for people to look at the data that is available and agree that we as consumers have a right to know if we are purchasing and consuming a genetically modified food. We are already consuming a lot more GM foods then we realize.8I believe this choice will eventually be a choice affecting our health.
Those opposing labeling of GMOs believe that the cost of food will rise, which shouldn't occur anyhow, but I think the cost of our long-term health is of a much more significant consequence. Don't you? One more thing of note - the American Medical Association supports the mandatory premarket safety testing of genetically engineered foods.9 So please consider voting Yes on California's Proposition 37, Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Initiative.
Announcing Heavenly Herbs and Acupuncture Blog
I am formally announcing my blog!! It can be found at My goal with this blog is to provide and share information about natural medicine, in its many forms. It isn't designed as a typical blog, where people can comment on my thoughts, but rather it is an information resource, hence being named "Integrative Medicine Resources". I hope it will be used as a tool to help people help themselves with their health problems - and when more medical expertise is needed, they can always contact me! It will always be a work in progress, as there will always be more information to share. It is set up to be a database of natural medicine knowledge, but not where one can subscribe to it and see postings as they occur.Rather eventually I will integrate it with Facebook, so that all blog postings will also be posted there, so people will be able to follow my postings that way. (I apologize to those not on Facebook - but I don't think I could manage it all any other way). It consists of research on Acupuncture, both Chinese and Western herbal medicinals, Homeopathy and other natural healing modalities, references to journal articles and scholars or teachings I respect, diet and recipes, patient handouts, recommended books and book reviews, and other interesting health-related facts and news. It is organized by medical condition and also has a search option. Check it out and let me know what you think and what other health topics to cover!!
References
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4 last accessed October 30, 2012.
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/ Local Community Events
Have you heard of Let's Move! Paradise (LMP) around town yet? It is a program sponsored by Paradise Community and Wellness Connection, the CSU-Chico program SCNAC and Network for a Healthy California - Champions for Change. The goal of the Let's Move! movement is to reduce childhood obesity and support mindful eating in the local community.There are many ways to do this! One program we are partnering with is the Sawmill Creek Farm to Food Pantry project. Volunteers are needed in all stages of farming, from toiling the soil to planting the seed, to watering and weeding, to protecting the plants, to preparing the bounty for eating! Give them a call at 877-5734 or find out about this and other opportunities to help your community at our next community forum:Tues, November 13, 6:30 pm, at the Paradise Library.
LMP also just partnered with Feather RiverHospital to sponsor their annual Strides for Diabetes Walk/Run and Prevention Fair held in October. We even had a team of over 15 participate in the walk! LMP also participated in the Feather River Hospital Health and Safety Expo in October and HH&A participated as well.
HH&A also was busy this fall participating in the Paradise Chamber's Johnny Appleseed Days, which is always a good time. I really connected with people, got some Joy Lyn Candies' jalapeno peanut brittle (which is unfortunately not gluten-free due to Sierra Nevada's beer used as a magic ingredient, but we must splurge sometimes!) and was well-attended by the community.
Additionally the Paradise Grange held its 80th anniversary event, which had great art for sale, great music, great food, and great raffle items. However, it was very quiet that day for HH&A, although I actually did acupuncture 'trials' that day and I got a tip of a large glass of 100% apple juice, from Noble Orchards - boy, it was so refreshingly tasty!! (Said the Grange had good food that day!) My specialty hot apple cider that gets rave reviews is just unfiltered organic apple juice heated with organic spices such as cinnamon and cloves and will again be served at this year's Paradise Business Association's Holiday Preview, held on Nov 16-18 (HH&A only open 11/16)... a fun way to shop locally! Enter to win one of several large raffle baskets as you visit all the participating vendors that weekend!
Lastly, I am proud to announce an event, A Relaxing Retreat into Ancient Healing Arts,that I and two local esteemed colleagues have organized. Participants will have a relaxing afternoon of Acupuncture, Tui Na massage, Qi Gong and Meditation. It will be Sat, December 1, 1 to 5 pm, at the Paradise Senior Center. For more details, see or click on the link above.
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December 31, 2012