Five Element Theory To Health

. "There was something formless yet complete that existed before heaven and earth. Without sound, without substance, dependent on nothing, unchanging, all pervading, unfailing. One may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven. Its true name I do not know. I call it the Tao." These words are derived from the Tao Te Ching, an ancient book attributed to Lao Tze, that has greatly influenced Chinese society and the world. From philosophy to martial arts, and medicine, it has shaped the way that Chinese medicine view our health and the cause of dis-ease. The ancient Chinese viewed that everything danced in a dynamic interplay of both complimentary yet opposing forces known as Yin and Yang. Yin represents the dark, passive, solid, and soft energies while Yang represents light, active, hollow, and hard energies. This description also correspond to our organs and it is how they are grouped. Yin organs are Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lungs and Kidneys. Yang organs are Gall Bladder, Small Intestine, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Bladder. Emotional states are also connected to each element. Now, each of these organs are metaphorically attributed five elements that characterize the functional energies of these organs. For example, the heart(Yin) is considered fire because of its function involving blood and circulation. The small intestine is the heart's Yang counterpart due to its ability to absorb needed nutrients for the heart and dispel toxins from the body. Joy is said to be in the heart. The spleen is considered earth. The spleen assist the stomach (Yang counterpart) to digest nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes. Without these enzymes, food would ferment in the stomach and very little, if any, nutrients could be absorbed. Without the proper nutrients in the soil, nothing could grow. The emotion of pensiveness is attributed to the spleen. The Lungs are metal. Metal energy correspond to energies that are both solid yet flowing. For example, when a sword is forged metal is liquid then folded into a small mass. Lungs expand when inhaling then contract when exhaling. Lungs govern both Chi (energy) and breath. Conditions of the lungs are seen in the health of the skin and are accompanied by constipation. Its corresponding Yang organ is the large intestine. The emotion of grief is associated with the lungs. The Kidneys are water and are also considered the second heart of the human body due to the storage of secretion of vital hormones. The kidneys also collect and eliminate excess water and toxins converting them into urine. It passes the urine to the bladder (Yang) where it is then excreted from the body. Fear is said to be found in the kidneys. The Liver is wood. It is the storehouse of blood from the human body during our still hours and also the waste management for the entire body. As blood passes through our liver, these toxins are filtered out and the blood returned back to the body. Since trees not only produced oxygen, they also aid in detoxing the air we breath. The lungs Yang counterpart is the gallbladder. If the gallbladder is unable to digest fats properly, the liver is saturated with fats and produce high cholesterol. Anger is housed in the liver. There are two ways that the five elements relate to one another. The Sheng cycle where the energy of one organ promotes the function of the other. Fire (heart/small intestine) produces earth (spleen/stomach) earth produces metal (lungs/large intestine) metal produces water (kidneys/bladder) water, water produces wood (liver/gallbladder) and wood produces fire. The cycle continues again as each organ/element benefits the other organ/element. This is the harmony and balance of our health. As long as this balance is maintained, the body can enjoy optimum health. The opposite is also true. The Ke cycle illustrates how the elements control one another. Fire can melt metal, metal can cut wood, wood exhaust the earth, earth dries water, water extinguishes fire. This would illustrate when disharmony occurs in one element how symptoms can manifest in another area. By understanding the five elements, we can further our knowledge of the human body beyond and find harmony in the way.

Astragalus/Ginseng Herbal Combination

Aloha Everyone,

During my current studies,I discovered an interesting root known as Astragalus. Also known as Huang Qi, this Traditional Chinese Medicine root has the benefit of stimulating Chi( energy) into the extremities, warming the body's trunk and can assist those recovering from chemo therapy. Astragalus may increase immunity strength by stimulating white blood cell production from bone marrow. It also has the benefit to stimulate the central neverous system and nourish the kidneys. If you suffer cold extremities or often succumb to colds or flu very often astragalus might be for you. There's a precaution when dealing with astragalus. If you suffer from internal heat or high blood pressure, you may want to steer clear of this one.

Ginseng is an ancient chinese remedy who benefits are legendary and innumerable. Some benefits include are anti-fatigue, immune enhancement, tonies the digestive system, and sharpening the mind. Similar to astragalus root, ginseng also stimulates Chi in the body and at a celluar level can also enhance both DNA and RNA. Ginseng cal also improve mood and lessen the effects of both mental and physical stress. It can return strength back to the body from its deepest level.

I've recently combined astragalus root tea then added ginseng extract to the tea, and I found myself feeling re-energized and awake. However, I did not find myself overstimulated as I have been when drinking coffee. As with any herb, it would be best to make sure you are able to consume them by checking with a qualified doctor or herbalist. Thank you for your time. Aloha.

Tai Chi as a Holistic Health Regimen

Legend says . . . A Taoist monk walking in the woods came upon a snake and a crane fighting. He stood and watched the exchange between these two creatures. As the crane advanced upon the snake, it would yield coiling its body, waiting for the crane to advance. When the crane did, the snake expanded itself at its enemy, but the crane merely slapped the serpent aside using its wings and the snake's momentum.  The battle continued for some time until both creatures realized neither one would win, and they went their separate ways. And from that battle, the monk created Tai Chi Chuan.  Tai Chi Chuan, which means into GRAND ULTIMATE FIST is an ancient internal martial arts that emphasizes slow moving exercises, performed smoothly and accurately, with the muscles as relaxed as possible and the mind absorbed in each movement. Embodying Taoist philosophy, Tai Chi utilizes a balance of YIN (yielding) techniques and YANG (expanding) techniques, which uses abdominal breathing as a focal point to garner a meditative state of mind. By focusing the mind in this manner, we balance our thoughts in the here and now rather than the past or future, reducing the anxiety created by too many thoughts bombarding the mind. Also according to Chinese theory, the abdomen or DAN TIEN is the storehouse of CHI and the center of our body's balance. Abdominal breathing allows the practitioner to fully exercise their lungs, allowing for greater oxygenation of the blood and thereby increasing energy.
Deep breathing can also reduce strain upon the heart by engaging the diaphragm in the respiratory process.  Based on spherical movements, Tai Chi postures emphasize the full range of motion of our joints, releasing the compression between them, enhancing posture, and strengthening our ligaments and tendons. By strengthening our ligaments and tendons, a relaxed strength (absent of muscular tension) is cultivated by the practitioner. This allows the body's energy or Chi to flow freely, cultivating a balance between the mind, body, and spirit.  Most practitioners begin to feel their Chi as a warm tingling energy that permeates the hands and soles of the feet. With time and practice, this warmth can be directed throughout the body, showering the practitioner in euphoric energy. Tai Chi is not designed to promote muscular size or enhance physical endurance as Western exercises emphasize. Instead, it is used to stimulate the internal organs gently to enhance their ability to evacuate toxins and promote youthfulness, longevity, energy, and mindfulness.  However, Tai Chi is an excellent addition to Western exercises. Through combining of the mind, body, and spirit in the present, anyone can learn to meditate an action. Any activity, such as bodybuilding, cardio training, walking can become an expression of moving meditation . . . an expression of Tai Chi. One does not just experience the activity, one becomes the activity.  Clinical studies have shown that Tai Chi practice can lower blood pressure, reduce nervous tension, and benefit the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. It is self healing through energy placement, and it is an important part of Chinese medicine. By practicing Tai Chi, a practitioner can achieve excellent health of the whole being and transcend the stress of the modern world. Prepare to be calm like a mountain and flow like a river

Breathe Of Life

It is the first act we commit upon entering this world and the last. Breathing as a form of therapy has been utilized by many different cultures for thousand of years. It is the root of many disciplines including yoga, qigong, and meditation for cultivating the mind, body, and spirit. In fact, newborn infants are masters of deep breathing . . . a discipline many of us as we grow older tend to abandon. We tend to breathe shallow breaths, only using a small portion of our upper lungs to oxygenate our blood and detoxify poisons. I would like to examine the process of breathing and the various types of techniques described the "Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity" by Daniel Reid.  As we intake air through our nostrils, accumulated toxins (dust, pollen, and bacteria) are captured by our nose hairs, minimizing the possible irritants from entering our bodies. The air travels through our sinus cavity then into our throats and finally into the lungs. Our lungs are spongy tissues comprised of dense network of tubes that progressively become smaller. There are two major tubes known as bronchi separate becoming the smaller branches known as bronchioles. The bronchioles lead to 300 hundred million tiny air sacs called alveoli that collect the air. About 21 percent of the air we breathe actually contains oxygen. Within the alveoli, some of the oxygen is phased into the blood stream while the remaining carbon monoxide (dead air) is exhaled out. This is what normally would occur during breathing. However there are many factors, which contribute the disharmony of breathing. Factors, such as, smoking, pollution, ignorance, constipation, and plain-old laziness rob us of our most precious gift . . . the breath of life.  According to Mr. Reid, one of the major contributing factors to our shallow breathing is ignoring our diaphragm. The diaphragm is a condensed fibro muscular sheet that lies beneath the lungs and above the abdomen. It open and closes moving air in and out of the lungs. If you simply relax and inhale slowly, watching your belly slightly bulge then slowly (without tension) exhale until your belly compresses, you have engaged the diaphragm. You can feel a tangible feeling of relaxation almost immediately and afterwards. Best of all it’s free and can be done anywhere. Yet, disease and disharmony can rob us of this benefit. Clavicular breathing is a situation that occurs in asthma and emphysema sufferers. It occurs when the clavicles (collar bones) are raised; highlighting the upper, shallow part of the lungs. Many times breathing must be done in rapid succession in order to receive more oxygen. A person performing this act may appear similar to a panting dog. Unfortunately, clavicular breathing often strains the heart because the heart must pump harder through the lungs. Clavicular breathing can be experienced when you feel anxious or stressed also. Simply look at anyone who is stressed out their shoulders are usually hunched and their breathing is short. Now, we all understand what toxic changes are occurring within the body due to stress and how our bodies are being affected.  As I mentioned earlier, breathing has been therapy utilized for thousand of years by various disciplines, including the ancient Taoist. In a nutshell, Taoism is a philosophy, which seeks harmony and balance in all things. It has influenced martial arts such as Tai Chi and Ba Gua, as well as, Traditional Chinese medicine. Breathing is so important to Taoist they measure their lifespan not in years but in breaths. They consider the act of breathing occurs in four parts. 
INHALATION: With your body relaxed and the spine straight, you want to empty your lungs and abdomen completely with a forced contraction. Now, slowly inhale through the nose guiding the air through the lungs into the diaphragm until the belly slightly protrudes. Once the lower lungs have filled continue to breathe, filling mid-lungs then the upper lungs. Please make sure that you do not force any part of this technique as it will place unwanted strain upon the system. Also, it is not necessary to completely fill the lungs on each inhalation. Rather, you can fill the lungs with about two-thirds of breath. 
RETENTION: The act of breath retention we usually experienced either when we stressed, exerting, or holding our breath to escape some foul odor that we have come across. However, holding one’s breath actually have some benefits for us. When the breath is brought into the belly, our lungs are still. This is considered womb breathing because it is similar to when the fetus receives oxygen through the umbilical cord and not the lungs. As we retain our breath, the heart beats slows, blood pressure is lessened, and cells begin to breathe. Cellular respiration occurs when the cells begin to break down sugars, releasing oxygen and excreting by-products into the blood to be cleansed from the body. Also, you may experience heat and even perspire after about fifteen minutes of deep breathing exercise. Our lungs are also enriched with blood and additional oxygen, as well as, eliminating carbon dioxide. Breath retention also produces body heat, which can useful for those who live in colder climates. Now, breath retention should not be done for long periods of time and it is best to find a qualified instructor in either yoga or tai chi to better guide you with this stage of practice. 
EXHALATION: Now that you have held your breath it’s time to release it. For Taoist, exhalation is more important than inhalation. Slowly, exhale through the nose and keep your tongue gently pressed to the roof of your mouth. When the tongue is pressed against the palate, outgoing breath is slowed. If at any time during the exhalation, you find your breath burst out, you have held your breath too long. Now, you want to empty your lungs in the opposite manner that you inhaled (top to bottom). Once the lungs are emptied contract the stomach to compress the inner organs and pump extra the blood accumulated during the inhalation. Finally allow everything to relax.  PAUSE: during this final stage of breathing, it is important to close the glottis so air does not rush back into the lungs immediately. Wait for a few seconds, then begin the process once again. If you have to gasp for your next breath, you have waited too long. Everything involving Taoism always seeks balance.  This is simply one technique used in the art of breathing. With so many disciplines, there are various ways to improve our health, but the best path is the one that suits you the best. Thank you for time and see you on the path.

Yes You Can Be Healthy

TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND ADVICE ON NUTRITION

Aloha Everyone and Welcome,

My name is Luis Fuentes, and I am a Nutritional Consultant with the Global College Of Natural Medicine. Our health is the greatest treasure we have and through a combination of lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise we can not only preserve that treasure but increase it as well. Our health is a combination of lifestyle, diet, exercise, and emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Through cultivating these qualities, we can continue to be healthy as we grow older. For my first blog, I would like to discuss an often overlooked supplement but one that is very necessary to our health . . . enzymes.

Enzymes are necessary for a multitude of functions, including as anti-inflammatory, energy production, chemical reactions, and digestion and assimilation. There are over 2700 different enzymes that exist on our bodies, which decrease with age. This decrease can eventually compromise everything from our senses to

digesting that steak. Some enzymes are created within our bodies while others are derived through the foods we eat. Others are still ingested through supplemental form. The following is a listing of digestive enzymes and some of their functions.

AMYLASE: is an enzyme utilized for the digestion of carbohydrates and starches. Amylase is produced in our mouths via saliva and turns carbs/starches into glucose, allowing assimilation by our bodies. When carbohydrates and starches are poorly assimilated, they tend to ferment, creating gas and a bloated feeling.

PROTEASE: is an enzyme utilized for the digestion of proteins. Proteins are considered foods, such as, red meat, foul/poultry, fish and nuts. Protease can also serve as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis and reduce inflammation due to allergies. When proteins are not properly digested, proteins can cause indigestion and toxicity. Some studies have shown that this kind of toxicity can adversely affect the kidneys.

LIPASE: is an enzyme that assimilates fats. Lipase enzymes are sometimes used to lower cholesterol levels. This is useful in conditions involving hypertension or high cholesterol. When improperly digested, fats can turn rancid, create pungent odors and disrupting proper cholesterol balances. Depending on your digestion, you may want to include digestive enzymes while consuming Omega oils to increase absorbability.

CELLULASE: is an enzyme that breaks down fiber from vegetables and other plant sources. This particular enzyme is not produced by the body and must obtained from outside sources. Fiber is necessary to clean the large intestines, lower cholesterol, and push out fecal matter from the body. Without proper digestion of fiber, constipation and toxicity can occur.

LACTASE: is an enzyme that consumes milk sugar from dairy products. A lack of this enzyme is what leads to lactose intolerance , which is an ailment that affects a great deal of the populace. Gas and stomach upset and are common symptoms of lactose intolerance, as well as, some allergic reactions. Sub-enzymes of lactase are sucrase and maltase.

Food enzymes are derived from of either plant based foods or animals. Plant enzymes are best consumed in their natural raw state and are derived from fruits and vegetables. When exposed to heat, such as, during the cooking process much of the enzymes are destroyed. You can find plant based enzymes in supplemental form, but they must be extracted from plant sources in the laboratory to be any benefit. Some common plant enzymes are bromelain and papain. Bromelain is derived from pineapples and is for digestion of proteins. When taken in between meals, bromelain has also been used to decrease inflammation associated with arthritis and allergies. Papain, another plant enzyme derived from papayas, is also used as an anti-inflammatory and is a protein-based enzyme. As it’s not recommended to eat raw meat, except in the case of really good sushi, animal enzymes when exposed to heat are destroyed. Pancreatin is a digestive enzyme that comes from slaughterhouse pigs and requires an alkaline atmosphere for digestion. The pancreatic process occurs during the last part of digestion in the small intestine. Pepsin derived from the stomach of pigs begins digestion in the stomach and requires an acidic atmosphere. I hope this provides some more insight into the importance of enzymes in our everyday health. There’s a great deal more of information about the subject of enzymes, so I would definitely recommend everyone to implements these supplements in your everyday diet. Thank you for your time.