Oolong Tea for Eczema

Eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is a particularly uncomfortable condition, with itchy, inflamed red patches on the skin that often don't respond well to Western drugs and ointments and can get worse in cold, dry climates. Oolong tea, which is made from partially fermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, has been shown to markedly decrease skin inflammation and itching. Japanese researchers speculate that the tea has anti-allergy properties such as polyphenols and tannins that calm an overactive immune response. Steep 10g/.35oz of oolong tea in a liter (~34oz.) of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drink one-third after each meal. You should notice improvements within 1-2 weeks.

For those unable to drink a liter of oolong daily, try probiotics such as 1x109Lactobacillusfermentum, which has been shown to be helpful for eczema in young children and babies. Take liquid or capsules twice daily for a minimum of 8 weeks.

Enjoy Eating Again! 10 Tips for Avoiding Heartburn

If you suffer from heartburn, here are some easy suggestions for effective food therapies. 1. Avoid tomatoes, dark chocolate, raw onions, fried food, mint teas, and red wine.2. Drink demulcent teas such as slippery elm, marshmallow and licorice. Fennel tea is also good. Stay away from peppermint tea, which relaxes the esophagus and can actually contribute to reflux. 3. Drink carrot juice (1-2 cups/day). Carrots are alkaline-forming and anti-inflammatory and help many digestive problems. 4. Eat fresh papaya or take papaya enzymes. 5. Eat smaller, more frequent meals.6. Take acidophilus or other probiotics, or drink kefir. 7. Drink other fresh vegetable juices such as cabbage, celery and even raw potato (leave skin on). 8. Avoid eating for at least 3 hours before bedtime.9. Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen, which can aggravate heartburn. 10. Reduce carbonated beverages and caffeine.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are also great for reducing heartburn as they can resolve "Stomach Heat," the most common Chinese diagnosis for heartburn and GERD.

Follow these guidelines for a month and see how much better you feel! You might even be able to eat a bowl of spaghetti bolognese again without worry.

Famous Herbal Formula for Asthma Gains U.S. Recognition

American and Chinese researchers found that a combination of three traditional Chinese herbs could be as effective as conventional medicines at relieving asthma, but without such severe side effects seen with steroids like oral prednisone.

The study, a collaboration between Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the Waifeng Asthma Hospital in China, was conducted for four weeks on people with moderate to severe persistent asthma. The herbal formula — a combination of ling zhi (ganoderma), ku shen (sophora), and gan cao (glycerrhizae) — had a positive effect on lung function and immunological and inflammatory responses.

If you know a child or an adult who is suffering from asthma, please have them contact mefor a consultation. The above formula is available by prescription only from a licensed acupuncturist, and should only be used under his or her supervision.

Get Smart About Antibiotics

Incredible, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that approximately 50% of antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily. Why should we be concerned? According to the CDC, "Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the world's most pressing public health problems." In response the CDC launched a program to educate doctors and the public about the problem, which especially affects kids. "Get Smart: Know When to Use Antibiotics" is a website that helps you evaluate whether you might have a health issue caused by bacteria (antibiotics sometimes necessary so see your doctor), or a virus (antibiotics are not effective). "Get Smart" provides lots of great tips on self-care, such as rest, fluids, pain-relievers and humidifier use for a common cold, for example.

We need to think twice before asking our doctors for antibiotics for upper respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throat, cough, earache, and clogged sinuses - most of which are viral. A responsible doctor will rarely write a prescription without an office visit and physical exam.

If you do go home empty-handed, don't worry. Chinese herbal medicine offers many alternatives to antibiotics, such as the herbs isatis, honeysuckle, coptis and forsythia - to name a few. Under the care of a licensed acupuncturist, these herbs can replace antibiotics in certain cases, while also benefiting the immune system. While we can never replace the incredible role that antibiotics have in our world, we definitely need to get a lot smarter in their use.

Daily Dose of Ginger An Effective Pain Reliever

Another reason to keep the ginger coming: Studies show ginger to be an effective pain reliever for sore muscles caused by exercise. Both raw ginger and dried supplements showed "moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain." More commonly recommended for upset stomach, ginger is a proven anti-inflammatory.

Warm a Cold, Cool a Fever

When life is interrupted by sudden sneezing or a sore throat, you can easily make the following at home from common pantry items: • For common cold with runny nose, chills, head/neck ache, but no sore throat: Sweat it out with a soup of fresh ginger, scallion, cilantro, cabbage, and cayenne (high in vitamin C). Drink cinnamon stick tea (gui zhi) or fresh ginger tea (sheng jiang) with brown sugar. Avoid cold foods like salad, iced drinks and ice cream (sorry!). This is called "wind-cold" in Chinese medicine and is the most common type of cold.

• For swollen sore throat, bodyache, fever and possibly a cough: Drink tea made from a Chinese herb like peppermint (bo he). Chrysanthemum tea (ju hua) is also great but you might have to make a trip to the Asian market. Keep food intake light, drink lots of fruit and veggie juices, and add honey to your tea. This is called "wind-heat" and can correspond to the flu or tonsillitis in Western parlance.

Astragalus Is Your Best Cold-Season Immune Boost

Astragalus, or huang qi, is to Chinese medicine what echinacea is to the North American materia medica. It is the Chinese herbal practitioner's number-one herb to boost Qi (pronounced "chee" and translated as "energy flow" or "breath"), in people who are frequently sidelined by colds and the flu. In Chinese medicine, when someone gets sick we say that their "protective Qi" is deficient, and astragalus acts to stabilize this protective Qi running along the surface of the body. How do you know if you have a weak immune system? Exhaustion, food allergies and depression can all leave the body vulnerable to infection, leading to persistent colds or flu, frequent skin infections, and/or chronic fatigue — all key symptoms.

Astragalus also helps a number of other problems, including spontaneous sweating, low appetite, and recovery from long-term illness, and can improve immune function in people with cancer and HIV.

Note: One should not use astragalus during an acute illness — only as a preventative. For this reason it's best to take it under the care of a licensed acupuncturist, who can make a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Herbs for Tummy Trouble

Does your child ever complain of a tummy ache? Try fennel (xiao hui xiang), a Chinese medicinal used to treat stomachache and colic. Make a tea by pouring boiling water over 2 tsp. of crushed fennel seeds, let cool and then drink. You can also get fennel extract from an herbal practitioner.

If Irritable Bowel Syndrome or "nervous stomach” is what troubles your child, try enteric-coated peppermint capsules such as Pepogest brand. Peppermint oil (called bo he in Chinese/Pinyin) helps ease spasms but shouldn't be used for acid reflux.

Probiotics from the refrigerated section of the health food store will also help over the short and long terms, especially if your child has had to take antibiotics, and they now even make them specifically formulated for kids.

Top 12 Chinese Herbs Familiar to Westerners

The use of herbs, whether animal, vegetable or mineral, is an essential part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and generally produces zero side effects. Most often, we combine herbs in a formula of 4-15 ingredients customized to the individual. You might be familiar with many of the following herbs used in TCM. I’ve listed their common uses and pinyin names.1. Cinnamon (gui zhi and rou gui): common cold with chills; arthritis; type 2 diabetes. Daily use has been shown to lower blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels just as well as the class of drugs known as statins. (Best to use medicinal extracts, not the powder from the spice rack.)

2. Hawthorn (shan zha): high blood pressure; coronary artery disease; high cholesterol

3. Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): nausea; upset stomach; morning sickness; motion sickness; common cold with chills; cough

4. Mint (bo he): common cold with fever and sore throat; headache; rashes

5. Licorice (gan cao): diarrhea; cough; asthma; ulcers; leg spasms; high cholesterol. (Taken long-term, licorice can cause high blood pressure and/or water retention, so only use under the care of a licensed acupuncturist.)

6. Watermelon (xi gua): summertime colds, when it's hot and humid out

7. Hemp seed (huo ma ren): constipation

8. Jujube (da zao): fatigue; low appetite

9. Barley malt sugar, or maltose (yi tang): low appetite; dry cough

10. Gelatin (e jiao): dizziness; palpitations; chronic bleeding; dry cough

11. Garlic (da suan): diarrhea; flu prevention

12. Ginseng(ren shen):Like caffeine, the famous ginseng, sold in tiny bottled “shots” even at the local convenience store, is a stimulant that increases energy. It has been widely studied and shown to be beneficial to people with diabetes, peptic ulcers, stress, anxiety, fatigue and wheezing. The herb should only be taken in consultation with a TCM practitioner, however, as it can also act as a sedative, increase blood pressure, and cause headache, insomnia and/or palpitations in people for whom it is not indicated (in other words, who don’t have a problem where ginseng would be useful).

Pearl Extract for Good Skin

This month’s spotlight on Chinese herbs focuses on freshwater pearl, or zhen zhu (Margarita). Pearl has been used for centuries to create a smooth, radiant complexion. Not only is it a valuable source of minerals — including calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, strontium, copper, and selenium — it contains dozens of amino acids and antioxidants that are necessary for maintaining health. Studies show that hydrolyzed pearl extract is easily absorbed, generates new skin cells and tissue, and controls acne. Other benefits include improving eyesight and reducing anxiety and insomnia.I prescribe pearl extract created by Far East Summit, an Oregon-based producer of state-of-the-art herbal formulas. Far East only imports Chinese raw herbs from companies that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) as mandated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to verify quality control, safety and effectiveness. "Luminous Pearl Extract Skin Formula" is available by prescription only from a licensed acupuncturist.

The Chinese Herb Corydalis: Better Than Morphine?

Corydalis, or yan hu suo, is to the Chinese what aspirin is to Westerners. This potent painkiller is widely used for all types of pain, especially headaches and menstrual cramps. It is particularly beneficial for people who cannot take aspirin or other pain medications due to ulcers or stomach upset. Studies show that it works especially well when combined with acupuncture. Powdered corydalis is one of the strongest analgesic herbs out there and its effectiveness has been compared with morphine and codeine (it is approximately 1% the strength of opium). Because of this it also can be used to reduce anxiety and stress and promote sound sleep. Unlike morphine, yan hu suo has no side effects, a slower development of tolerance, and is non-addictive. Still, pregnant and nursing women should avoid it.

Excellent corydalis formulas are available by prescription from a licensed acupuncturist.