by Angela Tian Zhu | Jan 17, 2015 | Seasons
#1: Have a NAP in the afternoon
Helps:
- Lower blood pressure
- Relax the cardiovascular system
- Strengthen memory and concentration
- Reinforce energy and immune systems
- Raise spirits and reduce feeling depressed
- Lessen tiredness
Please create time to have a nap, even as little as 15 minutes. The evening will be much more enjoyable!
#2: Eat light food
#3: Take short showers – not with cold or too hot water
And of course drink a lot of water!!!!!!
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor. Copyright 2015
by Angela Tian Zhu | Mar 1, 2014 | Seasons
During autumn, every time it rains it gets a little colder. Because the days become shorter, nights become longer, nature’s Yin cold energy will grow and Yang warm energy will recede.
- For people who have digestion problems, stomach problems or irritable bowel problems, it’s a good idea to start to have warm breakfasts and more warm meals and drinks.
- People who often have colds, bronchitis, pneumonia and high blood pressure in winter should start to have hot footbaths in the evening, and warm meals and drinks.
- For people who have sore backs, this is a good time to start to keep your back warm.
- People who have had winter depression and those who feel lethargic should have more ginger, lamb, cinnamon, walnuts, soup, etc.
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor. Copyright 2013
by Angela Tian Zhu | Sep 18, 2013 | Seasons
In spring, everything is growing – everybody knows this. As a result, the law of nature is: “Sow and grow in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn, store and hibernate in winter”. If we don’t follow these laws – e.g. if you don’t store Energy in winter – you won’t have enough energy to grow in spring.
Earlier this week a client called me to have acupuncture urgently because she had facial paralysis. She told me she has been exhausted for a long time – from work, looking after children, and breastfeeding. She already predicted herself that she would fall apart. That is why when the spring wind came; it “knocked her over”.
Some articles say that about 53% of facial paralysis patients, before they become sick, they catch the headwind, have cold water stimulation. The other 47% are exhausted or have a virus /infection.
What is growing energy?
Growing energy is part of human vital (Yang) energy. It helps people to grow, metabolise and recover. The viruses, germs and some of the chronic problems can also “grow” which can be triggered in spring. To be able to fight these “growing” we have to have stronger energy.
Why do we nourish growing energy?
Spring in nature has growing energy. Growing energy is not only for children and young people to worry about – adults and seniors also need to grow their energy because our cells are dying, replenishing and growing every day. Every day we have to metabolise. As humans, everybody needs to nourish the ability and state of growing energy. Especially Springtime is the season for this.
How do we nourish growing energy?
Lifestyle:
- Get up with the sun. Energy from the sunrise helps people’s growing energy (Yang energy)
- Avoid wind and keep warm. Spring wind blows away the cold winter energy and the weather changes very often and dramatically. So avoid wind and keep warm to help the growing energy and prevent disease.
- Drink a lot of water (preferably warm water).
- Avoid being angry. Control your emotions and be aware of your mood. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver connects to spring, and it is one of the important organs to controls anger and moods.
- Eat more green, yellow and “shoot” vegetables (e.g. bean shoots) and less red meat ,spicy food and alcohol.
- Exercise.
What can we do?
- Comb your hair often – promotes micro circulation.
- Bathe your feet in warm water – promotes micro circulation.
- Breathe deeply.
- Move your bowels daily.
- Nourish the liver.
Tips:
- Drink Chrysanthemum tea – to help nourish the liver and clear the eyes.
- Eat more spinach and chicken liver – to help nourish your liver.
- Eat kiwi fruits – to help encourage daily bowel movements.
- Keep your head warm and away from draft (especially seniors) to help prevent stroke and headache.
- Breathe deeply. Breathe in and out from the stomach to massage your organs 2-3 times per day. (about 20 times each)
- Eat sesame seeds to help liver energy.
Health in spring will help you to have health in summer.
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor. Copyright 2013
by Angela Tian Zhu | Jun 29, 2013 | Seasons
(To Help Prevent Depression & Dementia)
Even it has been cold and raining, I was still looking forward to visiting friends last weekend and staying with them at their holiday house near a National Park. Although it’s winter that area is still beautiful.
The day before I was going to drive there they informed me that a friend had suddenly died from a heart problem and another passed away after a long illness. His father was in hospital in a critical condition.
What does Winter, Coldness and Dampness has to do with this?
More people get sick and pass away during winter time. In addition, depression and mental health tends to worsen in winter. Why is this?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we recognise Yin and Yang energy. Yang energy is considered warm, moving, stimulating, rising and expanding. Yang energy is found in substances, functions and capabilities with these characteristics.
Yin energy is considered cold, inhibited, restraining, falling and contracting. Yin energy is found in substances, functions and capabilities with these characteristics.
Hence in winter, when it is very cold or damp, people need to have sufficient Yang energy to resist the coldness and dampness of Yin energy in nature.
How does winter dampness and coldness affect us?
- Coldness and dampness can increase your blood viscosity.
- The low temperature makes capillary blood vessels contract to hinder circulation. Thus it is easier for your blood pressure to increase and for your heart to work harder. This increases the likelihood of heart problems, strokes and, in the long term, dementia.
- Cold weather can also weaken the immune system, and make the endocrine system imbalanced. Thus asthma, bronchitis, flu, colds and diabetes all worsen.
- The cold can harm the digestive system and aggravate ulcers.
- The cold weather can cause imbalances in the chemicals in the body, creating winter depression.
- Coldness and Dampness can make Arthritis worse.
We need Yang energy to cope with low temperatures during winter to prevent these problems. People who are Yang deficient may become sick or very sick.
What makes us Yang deficient?
On a cold and rainy day I went to a birthday party where I saw a six year old boy. He had so much mucus pouring out of his nose and was coughing heavily with a lot of phlegm from his chest that it nearly choked him. I couldn’t take my eyes off him; he was wearing a tee-shirt with shorts and eating ice-cream!
Energy of Yin and Yang deficiency is built up during a period of time when we experience the following:
- Stress and emotions, worrying, anger, fear, sadness, grieving – too much of any of these
- Irregular or poor lifestyles – not getting enough sleep, staying up too late, not eating regularly
- Not keeping warm enough, drinking and eating too many cold things
- Overusing energy by working too much or too hard
What should we do to strengthen Yang energy in winter?
- Have a balanced level of exercise and don’t sweat too much – if you sweat too much, you will lose a lot of Yang energy
- Make sure to wear enough clothing, and especially keep your feet, legs, lower stomach and lower back warm. Drink and eat warm things
- Spend as much time as possible in the sun to receive the Yang energy from the sun
- Try to avoid dampness by wearing dry clothing, and avoid going out straight after washing your hair or having a shower
- Hibernate enough during winter – don’t stay up late and avoid stress and emotion
Tips: The following foods and drinks are great for increasing Yang energy:
- Tea – ginger tea, Goji berry tea, red date tea and cinnamon tea (except for pregnant women)
- Nuts – walnuts (very beneficial!), sesame
- Soups. Ginger lamb soup (good for Yang energy)
- Orange coloured vegetables and root vegetables (e.g. carrots, radishes, pumpkin, beetroot, etc.)
Note: If you have heat in the body, such as a sore throat, fever or feel hot, you should not follow the above tips.
Have a great hibernating winter to help you have a healthy next spring!
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
by Angela Tian Zhu | Jun 6, 2011 | Wellbeing
All objects, plants and animals that can stand must have a “column”. For example: houses, buildings, towers, trees and upright animals. Humans are no exceptions.
From the point of view of vital energies and Qi Gong theory, where is the human’s “column”? People often think of the spine as the “column”. But what part of the body supports the spine? Why can our spine bend and curve? Why does our spine compress and lose flexibility as we get older? Why do some people have scoliosis during puberty?
1. Where is a human’s “column”?
From the point of view of vital energies and Qi Gong theory, there are 4 components in the “column”: Hui Yin (between the anus and genitals), Dan Tian (under the navel, inside the stomach), the spine, and Bai Hui (on top head of the centre-line of the body, between the ears)
It is the Dan Tian that supports the spine to be upright, grow and move. When the Dan Tian‘s energy deficient then the spine maid curve and bend.
2. What is the “column”?
Hui yin is the biggest yin energy point, Bai Hui is the biggest yang energy point. The “column” combines the yin and yang energy to reflect the human body’s natural cycle of birth, growth, ageing, sickness and death. The changes in the “column” reflect these different stages of life. The “column” also represents the condition of a person’s energy level, mental state and body health.
3. Why do we need to maintain the “column”?
- Hui yin is the biggest yin energy point, and Bai Hui is the biggest yang energy point; when they connect in the column the yin and yang energy can rise and fall smoothly to adjust, balance and harmonise the body’s inner environment.
- Hui Yin connects with the Dan Tian to strengthen the Dan Tian’s energy as a Qi core, which provides the pre and post natal energy.
- The Dan Tian opens up the body, Organs, and especially the column. This strengthens the vital energy and nourishes the blood, improves circulation and makes the inside and outside of the body healthier and younger. Gives positive energy and good attitude.
- The Dan Tian stretches and lifts the spine to help prevent scoliosis and helps spinal fluid reach the brain better. In the long term, this helps to prevent Alzheimer’s, dementia, spinal disease (including cervical and lumber) and balances yin and yang energy in the brain to prevent depression.
- The column improves posture to make people look good and feel more positive.
4. How do we maintain the “column”?
- Lift the Hui yin up into the Dan Tian, use the Dan Tian to push the spine up and legs down concurrently, through to the top of the head and the brain, along the Bai Hui.
- Aligning the Hui yin and Bai Hui; It is best achieved by picturing it: the chin in line the chest bone.
- Walking with heels down and toes up is the better way to open up the body from Dan Tian and “Column”
- Do these whilst standing, walking, and sitting with the column up every day.
In order to have a better understanding of the importance of the “column”, refer to ‘Million-Dollar Point‘ and ‘Dan Tian – Qi Core of Humanity‘.
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
© Copyright Angela Zhu 2011
by Angela Tian Zhu | Apr 7, 2011 | Traditional Chinese Medicine
…continued from Part 1
3. Wisely using nose in two-directions
Physically
Generally speaking, we use the nose to breath and smell. Normal breathing enables us to breathe in enough oxygen to ensure the circulation of our blood. The “Two-way” function of the nose is breathing in and breathing out. The breath should be even, slender and soft. If you breathe in more and breathe out less, or breathe in less and breathe out more, both show an unhealthy status of your body. (for example, the sickness of the lung and bronchitis) etc.
When emotions fluctuate, an even, slender and soft breath helps to release the stress and deal with difficulties calmly. Otherwise, sicknesses are likely to occur, especially high blood pressure, heart attack and depression.
We smell the flowers, food and other fragrances as well with our nose. Other than the smells from outside, the application of the “two-way” function of the nose goes to the secreted smell from our bodies as well.
For example:
Smell from the mouth:
Bad breath: indigestion or stagnation in the stomach and intestine.
Sour in the stomach: dampness and heat
Smell from faeces and vomit:
Stench: indigestion and stored faeces
Bad sour smell: dampness and heat
Smell from urine:
Stench: detoxification from the inner body
too much alcohol
dehydration of the body
This is good knowledge for mums to diagnose children.
Spiritually
If we know how to use the nose in two directions, try to open our nose to various “smells” in order to prevent sickness and problems in life.
4. Wisely using mouth in two-directions
Physically
Human beings use the mouth to eat and talk. People express their emotions, attentions, needs, judgement and vent by talking outwards.
Spiritually
It is also important to talk to yourself inside. Ask ourselves “How do I feel?” “Why do I feel this way?” “Why do I need to say this?” When the answers come out you will understand yourself and others. If we do something wrong, we will realise it from inside, which will help make it easier to forgive ourselves than the criticism from others. Especially when you feel depressed, you can talk to yourself like talking to a friend, ask yourself: “Why am I unhappy?” “What should I do?” “Is this important to me?” “What if today is the last day of our life, would I still care about it?” The cloudy sky would turn to be a sunny day when you can answer yourself these questions. Train yourself to talk to yourself as if you are talking to a good friend, these help reducing the stress and get rid of the feeling of being depressed, thus release and bring us a peace of mind and the harmony around us. This is the wisdom of “two-way” philosophy apply to the mouth.
5. Wisely using anus and urethra in two-directions
Anus and urethra are used to discharge waste matter, waste fluid and dirty air. If people only eat and drink and the waste don’t come out, sickness would easily occur to us. The anus and urethra have their “two-way” function. One direction is that the anus and urethra discharge the waste matter, waste fluid and waste air, the other direction is they can hold them too. If we don’t pay attention to the health of the anus and urethra, sickness would follow so that there would be trouble to the “two-way” function. For example: diarrhoea, the infection from the urinary, urinary incontinence, prolapsed of the anus as well as gynaecological diseases and prostate diseases. So pay attention to the “two-way” function in the anus and urethra in order to keep yourself healthy. What’s more, keeping a good “two-way” function of the anus and urethra will help to have better sexual life.
How to ensure a healthy “two-way” function of the nine holes? One of the ways is Qi Gong and Tai Chi. They adopt the Yin Yang Philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine as theoretical foundation. The harmony and health of body and peaceful mind would be achieved through the visualisation, breathing, meditation combined with slow movements involved in the Qi Gong and Tai Chi practices. These two practices are aiming to strengthen the vital Qi (energy) which is the only way to keep the two-directions functioning well. Try this ancient Yin Yang and “two-way” Philosophy to enable you to have a healthy body, a peaceful mind and a harmonious inner and outer environment.
Try these two directions of wisdom to connect to the outside and inside world. Find out how much more peaceful, better and beautiful life can be!
Prevention and wisdom are the two principles of Traditional Qi.
Written by: Angela Zhu (TCM Practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi Instructor)
Translated by: Alan Huang
© Copyright Angela Zhu 2011
