Late Summer: Getting Down to Earth

by Steve Sterling, L.Ac.

In the West we typically refer to the 4 seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) 5 Element theory there is a 5^th season called the Late Summer. This season corresponds with the digestive energy when the Qi (life energy) of the Stomach & Spleen (speen & pancreas) is prevalent. (see the 5 Element diagram).

In TCM we get energy (Jing) from our parents at birth, its kind of like an energy savings account, and then we make Qi, which is kind of like an energy checking account ‘Postnatal Qi’, from the food we eat & the air we breath. We use the Qi to pay for the things we do much the same way that you may use our checking account to pay the bills and for gas & groceries.   If our checking account gets low then we dip into our savings account. The same is true when we burn the candle at both ends or don’t eat regularly or healthy our Qi gets low and we end up dipping into our Jing. This Jing is supposed to last you your lifetime so that as you get older if your Jing gets low then you can start to experience the symptoms of the conditions associated with old age such as arthritis.

One of the ways to do this is to be sure to be in bed and asleep by 11pm. Another way is to eat healthy from a TCM perspective. This means to eat at regular intervals so that the stomach can get used to when to expect the food so that it can make the stomach acid.   The stomach is like a stew pot it has to take whatever you put into it and warm it up to body temperature (98.6 deg F). If you eat room temperature food or warm food that has been cooked such as stews or soups this requires less energy and it is easier for your body to digest.

Excess cold raw fruits & vegetables can impair the digestive energy and interfere with the digestion resulting in internal dampness.

Do you have signs of internal dampness?

• Bloating or fullness after meals
• Loose or sticky stools
• Heavy or sluggish feeling
• Sides of tongue look tender (like raw chicken breast) or have teeth marks (scalloped)
• Thick or greasy tongue coating

According to 5 Element theory excesses of the 7 emotions can impair the organ functions. Pensiveness, overthinking and worrying can weaken the Stomach & Spleen. We are literally digesting our thoughts.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine as well as eating in accordance with the seasons can help to improve your digestive function and put more money into your energy checking account. Qi gong exercises can actually help you put energy back into your energy savings account. In fact a recent study showed that acupuncture (ST36) or doing Qi gong can increase the telomerase enzyme which helps to conserve your telomeres (the ends of your DNA strands) during cell replication, which can help you live a longer healthier life. Acupuncture and Qi gong are available here at Eight Elements West.

Functional Medicine

• Heartburn
• h. pylori bacteria
• Leaky gut
• Vit B12 Brain health & Detox
• Gene testing

Heartburn is symptom of indigestion. Over-the-counter heart burn drugs Priolsec, Nexium, Prevacid, and Zegerid are Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and are among the highest-selling classes of drugs in the U.S. with $9 Billion in sales last year. Prilosec (omeprazole) it the 6^th most common prescribed drug with 53.4 prescriptions sold. The theory was that heartburn was caused by too much acid and so these drugs are designed to block the stomach’s ability to produce acid.

As we age stomach acid production decreases. The stomach acid needs to be very acidic pH 3 in order for the stomach contents to empty into the small intestine were it mixes with the digestive juices from the pancreas.  This means that it takes longer for food to digest in the stomach. What happens to food when it gets left out too long on the counter, it spoils. The same thing happens to food when it sits too long in your stomach. Protein putrifys, carbohydrates ferment, and fats become rancid. When this happens this produces gas and the gas has to go someplace so when it goes up and pushes open on the valve to the esophagus it splashes some of the stomach acid onto the walls of the esophagus causing heartburn.

If you have heartburn or take antacids or PPIs you may benefit from stomach acid supplementation. (Remember to consult your doctor before going off any prescription medications). But, before you do you should do the apple cider vinegar test. Drink 1 Tbs of apple-cider vinegar in 4 oz of water on an empty stomach. If you have increased burning symptoms you should consult your primary doctor to rule out an ulcer and you should not supplement stomach acid.

Stomach acid is your body’s first line of defense against foreign pathogens (bacteria, virus, & parasites). If your stomach acid is low opportunistic bacteria such as h.pylori (heliobacter pylori) can take up residence in your stomach or small intestine. This can produce an inflammatory response which can cause other inflammatory and autoimmune conditions to flare-up. The test and treatment protocol for h. pylori is available here at our integrative wellness center. We have Leaky gut testing and parasite stool testing.

Adequate stomach acid is needed for the stomach intrinsic factor used so your body can absorb Vit B12. Vit B12 is also cofactor which acts as an enzyme to catalyze many important biochemical reactions including how the cells make energy and it is important for making brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). Vit B12 (Methylcobalamin)in the Liver detoxification process is important because it donates a methyl group to toxins so that they can be eliminated in the urine.  It is estimated that as many as 60% of the U.S. population has a variation in the gene for MTHFR (Methyl Tetra Hydro Folate Reducatase). Having a variation means that you don’t methylate as well and that you could have a higher requirement for Vit B12 supplementation. Be sure to get the Methylcobalamin B12 (and not the cyanocobalamin).   We offer DNA testing and vitamin & mineral nutritional testing.

At Eight Elements West I offer a variety of testing to determine if your body is functioning optimally or if you have inadequate digestion. “My motto is if we’re not testing we’re guessing and I don’t want to guess with your health”.   We also carry many natural professional products as well as traditional Chinese herbal medicine to help restore your body’s health balance. Once the underlying functional imbalance is restored than the symptoms go away because we fixed the problem.

If you have any digestive questions or concerns or you just want to come in for a seasonal energy tune-up please set-up an appointment with myself or one of our holistic health care professionals.

“Its your future we want you to be there healthy!”

TCM Tips for helping digestion & weight reduction
There is an old Chinese adage that says “One should eat breakfast like a King or Queen lunch like a Prince or Princess and dinner like a pauper”.  Avoid eating large meals at night because you are not running a marathon while you are sleeping and the extra calories will just be converted into fat for storage.  Don’t eat too close to bedtime because our body position can impair our digestion while we are laying down.  Eat to where you are 70% full because it take awhile for our blood sugar to get up to our brain and tell us that we are full.

Recipe for Late Summer:   Congee
Congee is a rice porridge which is easy on the digestion and has remarkable nutritive effects on the Qi of the Spleen & Stomach which are the root of the ‘Postnatal Qi’.

1 part white Rice (Organic)
5-6 or 7 Parts Water
1.  Bring water to a boil add the rice and turn down to the lowest simmer.
2.  Cook covered for 2-4 hours on the stove or with a crock pot.

For a breakfast congee while it is boiling you can add any of the following:
licorice root
astragalus twigs
jujube fruit
apple slices
raisins
blueberries
cinnamon
a few slices of fresh ginger
Chinese red dates
2 Tbs. honey
walnut halves

Steve Sterling, LAc, HHP, MSTOM is an Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist, and Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor at Eight Elements West, an Institute for Somatic Training and Integrative Wellness dedicated to elevating the human experience through Somatic Movement, Seasonal Nutrition, and Eastern Medicine.

For Acupuncture/Chinese Herbal medicine:  Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Functional Medicine, Stretching and Strength Training, Qi gong & Tai chi.