May 092014
 

It seems like every season, whether it be Spring or Fall, or Summer or Winter, various patients have symptoms of hayfever or environmental allergies – this need not be the case!! Allergies are a symptom of our immune system needing support so that we can handle exposure to the environment, whether it be from pollens or animal dander, molds or mildews, or even dust. Our standard medical system of allopathy does us a disservice by prescribing anti-histamines, which suppress symptoms and suppresses the body’s natural response to exposure, hence making the condition worse in the long-term. The best long-term solution is to stimulate our body’s natural ability to handle the exposure so that it does not respond to a substance like it is a toxin – a healthy body should tolerate exposure and handle it gracefully, and not respond to pollens and dust like they are toxins!

For more information, see my document on how I treat allergies naturally:
Treating Hayfever or Environmental Allergies with Natural Medicine

Jan 132014
 

From the summary of this research:
“This study … provides the evidence that Xin Yi San alone is an effective herb in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.” (Note: Xin Yi San is the TCM name of the formula, in this case, of only one herb, Xin Yi Hua, or Magnolia Flower.)

Traditional Chinese medicine, Xin-yi-san, reduces nasal symptoms of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis by its diverse immunomodulatory effects

In my office, I usually have on hand at least 2 or 3 TCM herbal formulas with this herb in them. For example, the primary herbal formula I recommend for seasonal allergies, or allergic rhinitis, is Bi Yan Pian. A description of this formula can be found here. I have many people come back yearly for this formula plus they always recommend it others! I have other options as well, including homeopathic remedies for allergies. The best thing is that there are no side effects such as drowsiness like conventional anti-histamines!

I also carry “Magnolia Clear Sinus” and “Pueraria Clear Sinus” from Evergreen Herbs, both formulas that are very excellent for sinus infections.

May 222013
 

Heavenly Herbs and Acupuncture Newsletter:

Spring – A Time for Renewal

Referenced in this newsletter is a “Chinese Medicine and Food Therapy Lecture Series” I started in April 2013. I gave a lecture entitled “Spring – Time to Tame the Liver!”©. Lecture notes will be posted on my blog soon (and will be referenced here)!

Here’s a pdf version of this newsletter:
Spring – A Time for Renewal

This newsletter includes a few book reviews also.

Aug 062012
 

Here are recommendations for Cleansing and Detoxifying from Air Pollution (that I wrote back in the summer of 2008 when our area was surrounded by forest fires for weeks).

Forest fires are very common in the summer in our area of the Sierra Nevada foothills, so we are again being exposed to heavy amounts of smoke in the air in August 2012… here’s More Natural Medicine Recommendations for Smoke Exposure.

Also see my Pear and Rock Sugar Elixir recipe for soothing the lungs and taming a cough (with or without phlegm).