Itchy eyes and stuffy noses

It’s getting to be ragweed season.  Itchy eyes, stuffy noses keep you from enjoying the end of summer.  There are things you can do.  Try chrysanthemum tea for some relief.  Drink it hot or cool.  Avoid windy weather and window fans, and keep the car windows closed.  Make sure your sleeping area is clean and closed off to airborne allergens.  If you hang your clothes outdoors to dry, consider throwing them in the dryer or hanging them indoors. Pay attention to air pollution reports in the news and limit outdoor activities accordingly. Take antioxidant quercetin, said to calm allergic histamine reactions.  Eat a diet rich in Omega-3.  Naturopaths often prescribe stinging nettles.  These products are easily available in groceries and [...]

Start the day with rice congee.

In China, rice congee is a common breakfast food. It is made with rice cooked on low heat for a long time. White rice is used. We recommend this for breakfast in the morning because white rice is easier to digest than brown. Rice congee has a sweetness that awakens the digestion at the beginning of the day. Medicinal herbs may be cooked in rice congee for people who are ill, weak or convalescing. Congee tastes great as a breakfast food. For lunch you can make it with left over bits of vegetables and meats.
Rice congee is very easy to make. Take 1/2 cup of white rice and 2-3 cups of water and put it in a crockpot. You’ll have [...]

Water, water everywhere, and oh my, is it Damp!

The Southeastern CT/RI area is still recovering from the rains a few weeks ago. Businesses are reopening, roads are being repaired, and homeowners have a handle on the damage that was done. We New Englanders are showing just how resilient we can be. Almost everyone I’ve met has put a good face on it, found creative ways to deal with their situation, and cheerfully helped their neighbors in the midst of their own chaos. Rainy spring days no longer come without some apprehension in our region.
In the aftermath of such major flooding, some of the health risks are obvious. We need to be careful driving due to damaged roads, and plan extra time for for detours. Extreme stress can aggravate [...]

New PMS drug or Chinese Medicine – Which will you choose?

Recently there was an item in our local paper, the New London Day, about a new drug for PMS. “Well, it’s about time,” begins the article. It describes the drug developed by a British company and now being tested on a small population of 100 women, some of whom are in the USA. The experimental medication goes by the name VA111913. (I’m sure it will have a snazzier name before it hits pharmacy shelves.) The article describes the relationship between high levels of vasopressin and uterine contractions  experienced as menstrual cramps.
The action of VA111913 is very different from the usual hormone based drugs or pain medications given to women who suffer from menstrual cramps. It blocks the hormone vasopressin, thus [...]

Spring is the season of Wood.

In Chinese Medicine, Wood is the element associated with spring. Wood represents creativity, new growth, the birthing of ideas and self. The image of Wood is that of a new sprout pushing up through the ground. When it bursts forth it reaches upwards in an orderly fashion, spreading its leaves or branches, reaching out to the world, easily assuming its proper place. If the sprout is blocked by a stone it will search until it finds its way around, at last finding its way out. We have all seen plants growing from under rocks and flowers coming up between sidewalk cracks. Spring’s energy is of renewal, of freshness, a creative energy [...]