Originally Posted on January 12, 2010.

How can we adjust our psychic and body rhythm to suit the season? What happens within us is mirrored by the natural world around us. During the frost of winter, plants submerge their lifeblood into their roots, animals thicken their hides, and ponds harden into ice. This is a time of apparent quiescence and stasis, yet beneath the surface is the hidden activity of gestation and germination that will bring forth renewal in spring.

The Kidney is the organ system that shares the power of Winter. Just as the bear survives upon accumulated reserves, the Kidney harbors our Essence that feeds and renews our life force. It is the Kidney that supports the reproductive organs governing sexuality, as well as engendering the structural elements of the body that regulate growth and regeneration. This is dependent upon an adequate store of Essence, which gives rise to the marrow, which produces the brain, spinal cord, bones, teeth, blood, and hair. Whereas Kidney Yin controls the juicy Essence, Kidney Yang kindles metabolic process. All the other organs depend upon the Kidney for moistening and regeneration (Yin), and for animation and warmth (Yang).

The Kidney is vulnerable to damage by exposure to physical cold–cold weather or air conditioning and by the ingestion of iced or refrigerated foods and beverages. Kidney Yin is subject to damage by chemical agents, such as antibiotics, food additives, air pollutants, and recreational drugs. Inadequate intake of water and too much bitter, salty, or spicy foods may also be harmful. Likewise, too little sleep, excessive exercise, sexual activity, or work undermines the Kidney.

Black beans or aduki beans cooked with marrow-filled bones, along with roasted peanuts, garlic, ginger, walnuts, and butter are warming and nourishing foods for winter. This is the time to rest, accumulate reserves, and take stock, reflecting upon how our lives match what we envision for ourselves as we attempt to close the gap between what we imagine and what we see.

The Precautionary Principle is a new way of thinking and making decisions about health and the environment. Precaution is a translation of a German term, which literally means “forecaring”, exercising foresight and care. We teach our children to be kind, respectful, caring, responsible and to look before they leap. The Precautionary Principle embraces these qualities and focuses on making conscientious environmental decisions today, that will have a positive effect on tomorrow.

“When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.”

Chinese Medicine teaches that humans are a microcosm of the earth, and each of us is part of this wider web of life, the macrocosm. When the web is healthy, we are more likely to be healthy. All life is interconnected and human health is dependant on planetary or environmental health.

This is an extension of the Ubuntu philosophy: we are responsible for our world, our fellowman and the environment.

“Man did not weave the web of life — he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”
– Chief Seattle

This general panic about the flu this year raises some important questions about how you can protect yourself and your children- Deciding on vaccination is a complex question. As you know I prefer to approach each child individually and yet public health policy is demanding that we make decisions without regard to personal situations. We are still gathering info on the swine flu- It is spreading very quickly which in NO WAY means it is more deadly than any other flu- its just that there are more numbers! This will naturally increase the numbers of very sick among the not-so-sick. The elderly seem to be at less risk due to ‘herd immunity’ from the 70′s swine flu epidemic. This naturally shifts our focus to children and pregnant women. We have now seen over 200 cases of h1n1 in our practice and so far and they all seem to be very mild, (3-4 days of fever). But it’s still THE FLU! And that must be taken seriously. Most of the information that is being put out on the media is based on hospitalized patients (the sickest cases) and is meant to scare you into following the CDC guidelines without question. Fear does not help make rational decisions. The flu is never something to be taken lightly. Every year 35,000 people die in the US from the flu. If there is any history of underlying respiratory, cardiac or immune disorder then one should consider getting the flu vaccine.

The H1N1 influenza is spreading very fast. Once we reach a critical mass of people exposed to this flu, we as a community will develop what’s called ‘herd immunity’ which means even if we don’t get it we develop some immune protection. This is a fascinating phenomenon that demonstrates the power of the human community. I hope, in light of how quickly it is spreading, that this will happen before the seasonal flu begins.

General Preventive Measures for Flu season

Adults

Maintain a healthy immune system. Many forms of supplements will fortify immunity so that an attack by viruses will be less successful. If you tend to get acute illnesses easily, then begin a program of immune strengthening. A good herbal and antioxidant immune enhancing supplement will help build the strength of your system. These formulas are usually built around the herb Astragalus, a potent herb for augmenting the body’s protective defenses and stabilizing the exterior against invasion by pathogens and physical stresses such as cold and wind. Other supplements have similar immune enhancing properties.

Vitamin D3 is essential for a prevention program. Adults need 5,000 IU when midday sun exposure is not possible, infants need 1,000 IU, and older children need 2,000 IU.

Mushrooms: Several species of mushrooms have significant immune stimulating effects. Each contains high percentages of polysaccharides, long chain sugar molecules that regulate immunity. They activate white blood cells and stimulate complements and antibodies. These mushrooms include reishi (ganoderma), maitake (grifola), shiitake (lentinus), polyporus, and tremella. Many preparations of mushroom combinations in tablet, powder, or liquid extract form are available at major health food stores.

Colostrum is an excellent source of immune system stimulants. Colostrum contains a host of factors that stimulate the immune system and help to prevent illness. Immunoglobulin IgA coats the intestinal lining preventing attack by pathogens. Lactoferrin locks onto iron releasing it to red blood cells and depriving bacteria of the iron they need for reproduction. Lysozyme destroys microorganisms on contact. Cytokines boost T-cell activity and stimulate production of your baby’s own protective immunoglobulins. Polysaccharides bind to bacteria and block their attachment to mucus membranes. Take two capsules twice a day through the winter months.

Vitamin C at 2-4 grams per day prevents inflammation and maintains the body’s vigilance against infection.

Vitamin A is essential to immune function and mucous membrane integrity.

Zinc has potent immune protective effects. Take 25 mg zinc per day, but if you continue zinc for an extended period of time you will also need to take copper to prevent a deficiency (10:1 ratio of copper to zinc). Get a supplement that contains both.

Immune supplements for adults

Mushrooms (reiki, mitake, shiitake)

Colostrum – 4 capsules

Vitamin C – 2-4 grams

Vitamin D – 5,000 IU

Zinc – 25 mg with copper 2 mg

Influenzinum is a specific preventive for the flu. You can begin taking Influenzinum (9C, 12C, or 30C) if you are exposed to the flu. Take one dose each week for four weeks at that time, or you can take it once a week for four doses during the flu season.

The flu, like other respiratory viruses is spread through droplet transmission from human to human. You can minimize your exposure by not shaking hands. Frequent hand washing will also prevent you from inadvertently inoculating viruses into your nose and eyes. Simply avoiding touching your nose, mouth, and eyes during flu season will also help reduce your exposure. Of course, as common courtesy everyone should cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze to prevent transmission of viruses.

Get plenty of sleep, eat well. Eat warm foods during the winter. Soups and stews are excellent sources of concentrated nutrients. Exercise regularly despite the cold weather. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for their vitamin and antioxidant content. Stay warm and avoid getting chilled.

Immune System Supplementation for Kids

Children can take a few simple, specific supplements to maintain a strong and vital immune system during the fall and winter months when colds and flus predominate.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplement in the form of fish oil capsules or liquid fish oil will establish healthy cell membranes that prevent inflammation and resist toxins and attack by pathogens.

Vitamin D is essential for kids as well as adults to maintain immune function.

Vitamin E will ensure that fatty acids are maintained at optimum efficiency once they are absorbed into cells. In addition, vitamin E has anti-inflammatory effects and increases resistance to infection. Use only natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol), not the synthetic form (dl-alpha-tocopherol). A mixed tocopherol form of vitamin E is best because children need the gamma as well as the alpha forms. An appropriate dose is 100 mg for children under two and 200 mg for children aged 2-12.

Vitamin A is needed for proper mucous membrane function. It is essential for the growth and repair of body tissues, and for efficient digestion of protein. Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, strong bones and teeth, and a vital immune system. White blood cells, T -lymphocytes, and every cell in the important mucosal barriers of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts require vitamin A.  A diet containing significant amounts of fruit and fat will help ensure adequate vitamin A intake. Whole milk products, butter, and free range eggs will help maintain necessary levels of this important nutrient. Use organic sources. For those who may not be getting enough vitamin A, a supplement is essential.

The recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin A is 1,000-2,000 IU for children, depending on their age (1,000 at one year of age, 2,000 by age nine). Primitive diets probably maintained 10 times that amount. One egg contains 300 IU, one cup of whole milk or whole milk yogurt contains about 225-250 IU of vitamin A. One tablespoon of butter contains 350 IU of A. The amount of vitamin A may vary by the season and the feed of the animals.

Colostrum is great for children as well as adults.

Zinc stimulates immune function, prevents infections, and acts as a cofactor in many enzyme reactions, including the creation of antioxidants. Normal dosage is 10-20 mg. per day. If zinc supplementation is continued over a prolonged period of time, it should be given in conjunction with copper in a ratio of ten to one to prevent copper deficiency.

Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant activity, and antibiotic qualities. A daily supplement of vitamin C during the winter months will round out the immune system prevention program. Use 500 mg for children under 3 years old and 1,000 mg for older children.

The easiest way to give supplements to children is through powdered sources mixed in a blender with fruit, fruit juice, yogurt or milk (rice milk for younger children and children with milk sensitivities), and honey (for children over 12 months old). Capsules can be opened and dumped into the blender. Children can chew oil-based supplements in soft gels or you can stick a pin into them and squirt out the contents onto something they will eat.

Immune Supplements for Children-Daily Dosage

* (d-alpha-tocopherol or  mixed tocopherols)

Elderberry syrup and osscillococcinum are extremely helpful as soon as your child gets sick.

Homeopathics considerations during illness:

Osccillococcinum 3 X a day for 2-3 days

Belladonna early then Gelsemium

Bryonia if prefers not moving

Rhus Tox if prefers movement

Eupatorium with myalgia + tender eyeballs

Within the cosmology of Chinese medicine, human beings are regarded as microcosms of the natural universe. We are subject to the same cycles that occur in nature. Autumn follows on the tail of the harvest, signaling that it is time to prepare for winter. The sap of trees settles into the interior, sinking down toward the roots. With fall comes a sense of gathering in, stocking up, mingled with a sense of loss as the light begins to fade and the air chills. It is a time to eliminate what is unnecessary and become aware of what is essential.

The organ system that shares the power of this season is the Lung. Corresponding to the temperament of autumn, the Lung pulls in and refines the Qi, (energy) sending it downward to nourish our roots. Ruling the skin, the outer limit of the human body, the Lung protects against external invasion and safeguards internal resources. Since autumn is a dry season, we need to protect ourselves from cold air evaporation of moisture from our skin. Moistening, softening, and nurturing foods for this time include white rice, white beans, pears, radishes, sea vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, turnips and parsnips.

The Lung is also responsible for our capacity to discern and discriminate, defining and refining our sense of what is right, morally and ethically. It is the Lung that nourishes our capacity to be analytic, critical, methodical, efficient and disciplined. Autumn reminds us that we reap what we have sown, that all of our actions have consequences. The clarity that comes with autumn enables us to distinguish between the things that contribute not only to our own well being, but also the benefit of others, reminding us that we live in an interdependent world. This capacity will serve us in this election season as we choose leaders who represent our higher aspirations for a peaceful world that equitably shares resources, and a natural environment that can sustain us all.

Functional Medicine is a true combination of Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine and scientific research. It combines the philosophy of balance and how to restore function from Chinese Medicine and the knowledge of biochemistry and physiology of Western Medicine with the latest scientific research about how our genetics, environment and lifestyle all interact with each other. Functional medicine focuses assessment and intervention at the root levels of metabolic imbalance and is an evolution in the practice of medicine that addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century by focusing on prevention and uncovering the underlying causes of serious chronic disease. Instead of just suppressing symptoms, it deals with the root causes of disease and is less concerned with making a diagnosis and more concerned with the underlying imbalances, which are the mechanisms of the disease process.

For instance, in the last 2 weeks, 3 people came to see me complaining of reflux and all had been given Nexium by their Doctor. But for one of them, the cause was his diet and eliminating the foods that caused the problem did the trick. For the second person, giving her probiotics and nutrients to heal the lining of the gastro-intestinal system helped and for the third person, giving him HCL, yes you read correctly, giving him Hydrochloric Acid tablets to help digestion helped. All 3 had different causes and needed to be treated accordingly.

As opposed to Western Medicine, Functional medicine treats the patient and not the disease. In addition, it provides a framework for the practice of medicine that uses all the tools of healing, both conventional and alternative, to address the whole person rather than an isolated set of symptoms. I have studied Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine which taught me to see the body from a holistic perspective. Now Functional Medicine gives me a framework to combine this with a Western understanding of the body.

I feel blessed to have met Jeff Bland, who pioneered Functional Medicine over 20 years ago, and been exposed to his brilliant teachings. What started as lectures by Jeff has now turned into a burgeoning movement, with an Institute of Functional Medicine, a faculty and textbook to teach interested Practitioners. I am proud to be part of this new medicine movement as it provides a timely new way of thinking about prevention, public health, wellness and the treatment of chronic disease that can lead to better outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

For more information, go to Functional Medicine.org

I started studying Chinese Medicine 25 years ago. It was the most significant event in my way of thinking today. It opened up a whole new way of seeing the body and life in general. It was the beginning of my real journey into a new way of being. Soon after I started studying it, I was lucky to come across Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold, who subsequently became my primary teachers and close friends. Apart from being the nicest people, they are brilliant and the foremost teachers of Chinese Medicine in the USA. Their book. Between Heaven and Earth is the classic book on Chinese Medicine and we are very honored to have them blog for the site.

Here is a piece written by them entitled: THE VIEW OF CHINESE MEDICINE

Chinese medicine maintains that preserving the strength and integrity of the body as a whole is the most important bulwark against the development of disease. This means that, while efforts are made therapeutically to relieve symptoms and counter pathogenic processes, an equal or greater emphasis is placed upon replenishing the body’s natural substances (Qi, Moisture, and Blood) and restoring the coordinated activity of the body’s primary organ systems (known as the Liver, Heart, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney Networks). It is the ability of the organism to sustain its own defensive capability, regenerative potential, and regulatory mechanisms that enables it to remain adaptable and well.

Early in the history of Chinese medicine, around the 2nd and 1st millennia B.C.E. (before the common era), the primary causes of illness were thought to be the negative, external influences of disembodied forces such as ancestral spirits and powerful deities that indifferently and capriciously ruled the weather, seasonal change, the abundance of crops, and the lives of ordinary people. The dominant mode of healing during these ancient times was shamanic intervention by sorcerers who knew how to communicate and negotiate with other-worldly entities. Centuries later, during the Han dynasty (200 B.C.E. — 200 A.C.E.), the notion of supernatural forces as agents of disease was replaced by a more sophisticated, rational, and empirical paradigm in which human life and the world at large were understood to be governed by natural, impersonal forces–what we would now consider to be the natural laws of physics and biology.

It was during this 400 year period of fervent intellectual growth that the cosmological and philosophical theories of the Daoist and Confucianist sages (referred to as Yin/Yang and Five Phase Theory) were logically organized and systematically applied to the art and science of medicine in a quintessential medical document: The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. The anonymous authors of this seminal treatise emphasized three causative conditions for the genesis of disease: harsh environmental forces such as changes in climate or weather (external causes); intense or prolonged emotional and mental distress (internal causes); and personal behaviors such as overeating, undereating, consuming spoiled or poisoned food, overwork, sexual overindulgence, lack of appropriate physical activity (exercise), and unethical conduct (neither external nor internal causes). A predominance or persistence of any of these factors could upset the harmonious relationship between a person and his or her physical or social environment, as well as disrupting the smooth functioning of the body itself, resulting in physical, mental, and spiritual disturbances. More importantly, these ancient scholar-physicians clearly recognized that all of these influences (causes) were mutually interrelated, meaning that they did not exist or operate independently of each other.

Another important book known as The Treatise on Febrile Diseases Induced By Cold was written at the beginning of the 3rd century. This text radically reformed Chinese medical thought and practice. In the preface, the author, Zhang Zhong Jing recounts the loss of more than 200 members of his family over a ten year period due to the ravages of an epidemic. Zhang became the first Chinese medical scholar since the authors of The Yellow Emperor’s Classic to formulate a coherent theory linking etiology (the conditions and mechanisms that initiate illness), diagnosis (the methods for determining the nature and behavior of an illness), and treatment (the acupuncture, herbal, and dietary therapies appropriate for each type and stage of illness).

This dissertation focused on acute and chronic ailments triggered by exposure to external influences (climate and weather)–what modern bio-medicine would define as infectious, allergic, and physically or chemically induced disease–in other words, environmental illness. Zhang believed that a person became ill because he or she was unable to cope with the stress of sudden, prolonged, or intense fluctuations in temperature, pressure, humidity, and the movement of air (drafts). In the language of Chinese medicine these causative or pathogenic agents are labeled Heat, Cold, Dampness, Dryness, and Wind and can occur in any sequence or combination. Thus, the reason that an individual becomes sick or unable to recover, is that the harshness of external conditions and events impairs the individual’s innate ability to heal.

Qi is considered to be both the foundation of life and that which organizes, regulates, and sustains all the tissues, functions, and processes of the body. Without Qi, life-giving breath is not disseminated, blood is not distributed, food is neither digested nor assimilated, wastes and toxins are not eliminated, growth and development do not progress, and the mind and potential of the individual does not ripen. Qi is the unifying concept that joins the inner life of an individual with the outer world of nature.

This capacity to recover equilibrium, to repair damage, and to restore the body to a healthy state is entirely dependent upon the quantity and quality of Qi (pronounced chee), sometimes translated as animating life force, vital energy, or quintessential essence. Qi is understood to be the intrinsic, dynamic, self-regulating and self-maintaining power of the organism. All healing in Chinese Medicine is directed, ultimately, at conserving, protecting, augmenting, restoring, and facilitating Qi.

The movement of wind and water, procession of the seasons, cycles of night and day, and the continual variation of climate and weather are the environmental manifestations of Qi. The behaviors, responses, experiences, transformations, and rhythms of the body are the internal physiological and psychological expressions of Qi. Qi is further delineated into five body constituents, the basic material substances and primary processes–essence and dynamism–from which the body is composed and by which it is shaped. These five constituents progress from the insubstantial to the material: Shen (thoughts, sensations, feelings), Qi (warmth, movement, metabolic activity), Moisture (internal fluids and secretions), Blood (nutritive elements and structural components), and Essence (the adaptive, regenerative, reproductive, creative, developmental aspects).

These five constituents are generated, distributed, conserved, adjusted, and protected by five primary organ systems known as the five Organ Networks: the Heart, Lung, Spleen, Liver, and Kidney. These networks are coalitions of tissue, function, and intelligence that unite not only their corresponding visceral organs, but also a complex of channels (acupuncture meridians) that link the structural and functional elements of the body.

Health is the consequence of the unimpeded and coordinated interaction of the five body constituents and the five Organ Networks. Illness is the result of a depletion, obstruction, or unnatural alteration of the body’s constituents and a derangement of the function of its organ systems

Originally posted at The Huffington Post entitled 2 Questions To Ask That Are More Important Than A Diagnosis

After 30 years of practicing Medicine, I have learned that for any chronic illness or problem, making a diagnosis and naming a disease is not as important as treating the underlying imbalances and dysfunctions. Asking the right questions is more important than giving a label to a set of observations or getting the diagnosis right.

For most if not all chronic problems and illnesses, there are usually multiple factors that need to be addressed… it is called the total load. The total load is the sum of the factors that influence a person’s life and health. Individually, each of these elements might not normally cause a problem, but their cumulative effect and the fact that they all act on us simultaneously can overload our normal functioning and cause harm. In addition, everyone’s tipping point is different and each of us present in a different way when over-loaded or overwhelmed.

To understand the concept of total load, think of yourself as a ship floating in the water. Depending on the load you’re carrying, you are either riding high above the waterline or sinking beneath the waves. And just as you can save a sinking ship by tossing some ballast overboard to lighten the load, health can be improved by reducing the overall number of factors that cause stress in your system. The good news is that frequently you may only need to identify two or three factors to toss overboard in order to feel better.

When working with patients, I always try to reduce the total load by slowly removing the factors that could cause harm. At the same time, I add the factors that nourish them in order to enhance the healing process.

Some examples of what may need to be removed are the amount of sugar, junk food, chemicals, caffeine or alcohol in your diet. Or the burden of responsibilities you have, how hard you work and how much tension you carry in your muscles.

Examples of what factors may be lacking and need to be added are nutrients, sunlight, sleep, down time, play time, love or joy.

Unfortunately, I, like all Doctors never got taught to think like this at medical school. We got taught to name it, blame it and tame it. That is to look at the symptoms, signs and test results, make a diagnosis, name the “disease” and then treat the “disease.”

This model works well for acute or short-lived illnesses which were the common problems Doctors had to treat until about 70 or 80 years ago. There is no better model for crisis care management, for example, if you are having a heart attack or your appendix bursts. Or if you break a bone, we can fix it and if you have an acute bacterial infection like pneumonia, antibiotics kill the bacteria and the infection resolves. And due to the success of antibiotics in treating most infectious diseases, we have extrapolated that model, looking for an isolated single cause with a “magic bullet” treatment, and adapted it to most diseases today.

But this name-it, blame-it and tame-it medical paradigm is not effective for chronic problems. This process of giving a set of observations a name and treating the named problem does not help us understand the origin of the problem and its causes, which are usually multi-factorial. We are now finding that most chronic diseases today are not served well by this model in which complex disease processes are reduced to a diagnosis.

A label or descriptive name for a problem is not a bad thing–it is often reassuring to know what we have. I do not want to under-estimate the significance of this. But we have been brainwashed to think that if we know the diagnosis or if we know the name of our disease we will know how to not only treat it, but fix it. Unfortunately, this is not true. Doctors are increasingly practicing from the vantage point of an outdated and ineffective model and are not addressing the needs of the millions of patients who come to them with complicated chronic problems. They give them drugs to suppress symptoms and do not address the underlying physiological imbalances that produce these symptoms. Therefore we do not change the course of the disease and often end up causing more harm than good because the underlying problem has not been addressed. And to make matters worse, many people develop side effects from those drugs.

Luckily for all of us, there is a new little known science-based health care model for chronic diseases, called Functional Medicine, that deals with the underlying causes instead of just suppressing symptoms. It is a true mix of Chinese and Western Medicine. This new medicine is systems based biology rather than disease focused. It redefines chronic disease as a functional alteration in the physiological network that requires a systems biology approach to its management, which improves both the safety and effectiveness of treatments.

This model helps us understand how the disruptions of molecular pathways cause dysfunctions in various body systems and then result in disease. It is less concerned with a diagnosis and more concerned with the underlying dysfunctions that lead to the symptoms and the disease.

My Chinese Medicine teachers taught me to think of myself as a gardener when I see patients. When a plant or tree is not growing well, when the leaves are drooping and turning yellow, we do not call it yellow leaf syndrome and paint the leaves green or cut off the “sick part.” The gardener evaluates why the plant is not growing well. He determines whether the plant is getting enough or too much sunlight, enough or too much water, is the soil rich and balanced in order to nourish the plant? And he looks to see if the roots are being impinged upon, and if so, what needs to be removed.

Even though you may have been given a diagnosis, always ask yourself these two questions with any chronic problem:

1. What is harming you and needs to be removed to permit the body to heal?
2. What is lacking or what does your body need to promote healing?

I would like to thank Sidney Baker and Jeffrey Bland, two of the “fathers” of Functional Medicine and Efrem Korngold and Harriet Beinfield, my Chinese Medicine teachers, for teaching me to think critically about these issues and for creating a model that has helped thousands of patients with chronic problems.