Living in harmony:
Fall -Part 1
Seasonal Lifestyle tools and adaptions for Mind/Body Wellness
Vol. 1 https://www.resourcevitality.com August 20, 2019
1 tablespoon neutral oil
3 tart apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
3 pears – peeled, cored and chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons pureed fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Recipe
Heat pot over medium high heat and add oil.
Cook and stir the apples and pears for about five minutes.
Add the vegetable broth, sage and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer until hot and the apples and pears are tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for five minutes.
Blend soup to desired consistency.
As the seasons shift from summer to fall, so does the Qi (or energy) in the universe as well as within our bodies.
Autumn is represented by the metal element, which includes the lung and large intestine meridians.
The emotion often associated with the lung meridian is sadness and grief.
This is the time of year to let go, to finish projects which you have not yet completed and embrace the coming of a new season.
One easy way to benefit the lung organ is breathing exercises. Practice breathing in through your nose and focus on filling your lungs deep with your breath, down into your abdomen.
Hold that breath for a count of five and slowly exhale out of your mouth trying to get all of your breath exhaled from the very bottom of the lungs.
You can repeat this several times as well as a few times throughout the day. Not only will this help build your lung Qi, it will also relax and center you. This is important in the midst of our busy lives.
Good sleep habits are also essential for health, wellbeing as well as the lung’s Qi.
Early to bed and early to rise will help invigorate you and set each day off full steam ahead.
Transitioning to Autumn
In summertime many people indulge in lots of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables. For our bodies, digesting these raw foods can use up a lot of our Qi, but in the summer the heat of the summer can balance some of this as the raw foods have a more cooling aspect to them.
As we transition to autumn, it is also a time to transition our diet and move towards more warming foods. Soups, stews, warm beverages, cooked fruits and vegetables.
Fall can be abundant with amazing fresh produce that is seasonally appropriate– pears, garlic, leeks, beans, apples, onions, ginger and leafy greens.
The lungs are also integral for our Wei Qi, which is our protective Qi, akin to the immune system. As the lungs are connected to the nose and the mouth, it is important to be mindful of this.
Using a neti pot (or a saline nasal wash/rinse system) can help rinse out the nasal and sinus passages. Using a warm salt water mixture will help reduce your chances of colds and allergies.
As the temperature shifts, so should our attire. Keep your body warm and appropriately covered, including a scarf around the neck as needed.
It is a great time of year to go for long walks and hikes in nature, but keep yourself well prepared to keep your body strong.
How to Fight the Common Cold
Cold and flu season usually occurs during the winter months. But the common cold doesn’t follow a schedule. The common cold can happen at any time of the year. It affects nearly three million people in the United States every year.
In Classical Chinese Medicine, wind is one of the six external pathogens that can invade the body and produce symptoms. The external pathogens responsible for the cold are seen as invasions of wind.
The body is protected by something known as the Wei Qi (defensive qi, pronounced “way chee”). The Wei Qi is comparable to the immune system in Western medicine and it acts as the first line of defense when
the body is under attack from external pathogens.
If the Wei Qi is strong, the body is capable of fighting off the cold virus. The Wei Qi keeps the pores of the skin closed and prevents wind from entering.
Extreme stress, lack of sleep and a poor diet can all play into how strong the body’s Wei Qi truly is and how well it performs.
Chinese botanical medications, Chinese Nutritional Therapy and
Superfood Nutrition can all be utilized when the body breaks down
and a wind pathogen invades.
Chinese herbs have anti-viral and antibacterial properties that help
ward off the pathogens. Some herbs also have diaphoretic properties,
which induce sweating that expels the pathogens from the system.
Scallion Cereal: Expel Wind Cold by Sweating:
1 cup of brown rice (soak overnight)
1 scallion stalk, chopped
Flavor with miso if you wish
Cook rice in 3 cups water, on low, for 30 minutes.
At 28 minutes, add the
scallion and cook for 2 more minutes.
Makes 2 servings.
Consume 1 and
get under covers to promote sweating.
Wind can also carry other pathogens with it that can exacerbate the
infection. So the cold can present as either a wind-cold or a wind-heat invasion. Obviously, these are treated differently based on the
symptoms.
A wind-cold invasion tends to be the more mild of the two and can be
treated with Botanicals, Nutrition, and a
Sauna (if your energy is up
to it). This is considered the beginning stages of a cold as there are
rarely any heat symptoms present.
Ginger Miso Soup for Wind Cold:
4-5 slices of ginger
2 cups water
2 scallion stalks
1Tbl. Miso
Boil the ginger for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat, and add scallions and
miso.
The other type of cold is the Wind-heat invasion. Wind-heat invasions
attack quickly and manifest just like wind-cold invasions, but they also have fevers as one of their primary symptoms.
Wind-heat invasions should be treated with Botanicals and Nutrition.
Mint and Chrysanthemum teas are highly recommended, especially for wind-
heat. Pears or Pears with Honey are very useful for moistening
dry lungs caused by Autumn Heat.
With both types of colds, plenty of rest and water are essential.
Spicy, greasy or fried foods should be avoided, as should sugar
because these foods can create mucus or exacerbate the condition.
Organic Superfood Nutrition for the Common Cold
Nutrient dense Easy to Consume High Bioavailability
The 4 products I would recommend are NanoReds, NanoGreens +
Probiotics, NanOmega3, and NanoPro Immune. Together they are a
meal replacement. Combine in a blender and drink 1-2 x daily.
A liquid meal takes far less energy to digest and absorb; especially
helpful when you are using your energy fighting a cold.
NanoReds
NanoReds are high in Antioxidants, Phytonutrients, Resveratrol, and
Vitamin C. This Superfood combination reduces inflammation and
bodily achiness, as well as support immune functions and increase
resistance to infections. Due to it’s concentration, 1 scoop of
NanoReds deliver the equivalent of 10 servings of fruit and vegetables.
NanoGreens + Probitoics
NanoGreens support Immune, Digestive, and Urinary Tract Health.
This concentrate powder is helpful in maintaining Energy Levels andBlood Sugar Balance. This, too has the power of 10 — equivalent to 10
servings of fruits and vegetables.
NanOmega3
NanOmega contains ALA (alpha-linolenic-acid from MeadowPure
Golden Flaxseed) and DHA (derived from plant source marine algae).
This DHA is a Vegan alternative to Fish Oil. NanOmega contains
Phytonutrients, Fiber, and Vitamins D3, E, B6, B12, and Folate. This
Omega 3 aids in keeping the GI tract healthy, reduce Inflammation,
and balancing the Immune System.
NanoPro Immune
NanoPro is an excellent Protein Powder that, when combined with the
above, makes a perfect lightweight but nutrient dense meal
replacement. This protein powder will speed recovery from illness,
support a balanced immune system, and aid in cellular detox.
For more information on the Superfood products, you visit the website
https://www.resourcevitality.com . Go to ‘shop’ on the menu bar and
click on ‘Superfood Nutrition’ or use the following links:
NanoReds NanoGreens + Probiotics NanOmega3 NanoPro Immune .
Medicinal Mushrooms to Bolster your Immune system
and Fight a Cold
A wonderful combination of medicinal mushrooms to take for this
purpose is: Agarikon, Chaga, Turkey tail, and Cordyceps. Purchase
them in the small (5.2 oz ) size, 1 each. Combine them together and
store in a jar in a cupboard. They have a long shelf life.
To fight a cold, take 1 rounded teaspoonful, 3 times daily, in water.
Most people mix the mushroom powder in water. Once the cold is over,
continue taking the mixture ( 1-2 teaspoons daily ) as it will speed
recovery and bolster your immune system.
Agarikon is an exceptional antiviral.
Chaga is a very powerful antioxidant and adaptogen.
Turkey tail is a strong immune enhancer as well as being antiviral and
antibacterial.
Cordyceps is noted for increasing energy and endurance and for
fighting respiratory disease.
For more information, please head on over to the website,
www.resourcevitality.com. Go to the shop, and click on medicinal
mushrooms.
Or use these links: Agarikon Chaga Turkey Tail Cordyceps
3 Foods to Fight the Common Cold
Chicken Soup
When a cold occurs, the body needs nourishment to fight off the
attack. This is why chicken soup is a great remedy for the common cold.
Hot liquids and bland foods like chicken soup, will help keep the body
hydrated and nourished. With proper nourishment, the body can return to a harmonious balance and the cold will diminish. Chicken soup is full of essential
vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants known to speed up the healing
process.
Ginger
Ginger can be helpful when fighting off the common cold due to its
antiviral, anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties.
Eating raw ginger or adding it to tea ( 6 slices to 3.5 cups of water;
simmer for 10 minutes ) several times a day, can greatly improve cold
symptoms quickly. And to enhance the power of ginger, add some
lemon and honey, both powerful herbs in their own right.
The anti-inflammatory property in ginger makes it great to help
relieve a sore throat.
It is recommended to keep ginger handy at all times of the year and
use it as a preventive medicine, even when not feeling sick.
Garlic
Garlic has been known to be both a great cold remedy and cold
preventer. Garlic cloves contain allicin, which produces powerful
antioxidants fantastic for fighting off the common cold.
A study published by “Advances in Therapy” has shown those who
consume garlic regularly get less colds during flu season.
***This brings us to the end of Part 1 of the Fall 2019 Newsletter.
You will find Part 2 posted in the blog at the website. It will be posted
in a few days.
In it, you will find more information concerning Fall and the Metal
Element, along with specific tools to aid in adapting to this change of
Seasons.
https://www.resourcevitality.com August 20, 2019
