Wake up and smell the roses! Spring is in full bloom!

Hi All,

Symptoms can be sneezing, a runny nose, sinus congestion, and infections, watery eyes, headaches, asthma, itching, rashes, and swelling. Doctors will often prescribe allergy medications and/or allergy shots which can be helpful depending on the individual. Obviously, the first line of defense is avoiding the allergen, but this is difficult when pollen is all around us in the spring. There are some natural remedies that may be helpful (always discuss these with your doctor before using them, everyone is different).

Neti pots or other saline irrigation systems may be helpful. I sometimes use my neti pot twice a day if I have time. If you use a neti pot make sure to boil the water and let it cool to body temperature or less, and I use sea salt or Himalayan salt in my neti pot (I use one gram). One can also do steam inhalants by boiling a pot of water and letting it cool enough so you don't burn yourself and adding one drop of eucalyptus essential oil, you put your head over the pot and cover your head with a towel so the vapors don't escape and breathe in the steam for a few seconds.

HEPA filters can also be very helpful, they trap airborne irritants such as dust, pollen, and pet dander. Dehumidifiers can reduce mold which can exacerbate allergies.

Stinging nettles in the form of tea, tincture, or capsules is an old remedy, it quells histamine response. Bromelain is a naturally occurring enzyme in pineapples and can reduce swelling and help the gut to heal (thereby reducing allergies). Other remedies are butterbur, probiotics, quercetin, honey, and vitamin c. Acupuncture can be helpful as well.

Happy spring! Lillian

Spring is Coming!

Spring is coming and with it comes new beginnings and a time of rejuvenation. In Chinese Medicine, the spring is correlated with the liver and gallbladder meridians. The gallbladder meridian is associated with planning and the liver meridian is associated with carrying out those plans. They both relate to creating a vision for the future and taking steps to work towards making those goals happen. These two meridians are also associated with movement, creativity, and growth.

When the gallbladder pathway is stuck or not in balance one has trouble planning or making decisions or can be overly resentful; when the liver pathway is stuck or not in balance one has "stagnant qi" (or lack of qi) that can result in hopelessness, lack of a path forward, depression or anger.

Movement, planning, and creativity are ways to keep these meridians flowing, spring is a time of upward and outward movement in nature (plants shooting up and out of the ground, animals becoming more active), and using/mirroring these energies keeps things flowing preventing "stuckness". Detoxing (massage, acupuncture, herbs, detox baths, juicing, etc.) is also a good way to clean out stagnation and get things flowing again. I will talk about this more in the next mailing.

Happy spring!

Lillian,