"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Since February 18, 2007, we have been experiencing the Chinese Lunar Year of the Fire Pig. The Chinese calendar year is a 60 year cycle, the 12 animals of the zodiac each cycling through all of the 5 elements (fire, earth, metal, water and wood.) The Pig is the last of the twelve animals in the zodiac and is considered to be a good time to take care of any unfinished business before a new cycle begins. It may be a time to reflect on how far you have come the last 12 years, set your sights on new desires and maybe wallow for a minute in a few regrets. But don't wallow for too long because this year is the year to party!

Imagine yourself at a luau and you begin to get a sense of the energy of the year. A pig year is a time for fun with friends and family, and for self-indulgence. Harmony, peace and easy living are values that are predominate in 2007.

In a pig year we will all be under the influence of its characteristics. This year is another fire year so look for added qualities of excitement, drama, and passion. Pigs are known to be patient, honest, thoughtful, and compassionate. They appreciate fine food, luxurious surroundings, art and travel. Challenging traits of the pig can be a tendency towards over-indulgence of the good things in life like food, drink and spending money. They tend to be gullible and easily swindled, willful, lustful and depraved.

Health-wise, the cardiovascular and nervous systems are especially vulnerable this year. Remember to indulge in healthy diet and exercise habits as well. Good self-care may feel extravagant at first, but this is the year to try something new and exciting. In the pig year, the most revolutionary changes will come from recreational sources.

It can be said that all of the complexities of Chinese Medicine can be simplified in terms of Yin and Yang. Understanding the rise and fall of yin and yang throughout the seasons is a great way to begin to make sense of it all; each season has its purpose in nature and likewise in our bodies and health. We'd like to walk you through the seasons of the year and help you to grasp what you can do to maximize your personal health by making the most of the energies available to us all at any given time of the year.

For a simple review of the nature of Yin and Yang: Yin nature has qualities of the feminine, receptive, darkness, cold, quiet, introspective and moving inward. Winter is the most Yin of the seasons. In our bodies, blood is a yin substance and Yin anchors Yang to keep us feeling grounded. Yang has qualities of the masculine, being outgoing, outward moving, energetic, summer is the most Yang of the seasons. Qi pertains to Yang and is the animating force in our bodies. The best time to nourish the Yin is in winter, the best time to nourish Yang is in the summer. Just as it is faster to bring water to a boil if it is already warm, it is easier to strengthen Yang in the summer when Yang is abundant.

Gua Sha, which literally means “friction for congestion”, is an ancient technique used to move stagnation and draw out toxins. It is both diagnostic and therapeutic.

The technique involves the use of a smooth-edged tool, typically a ceramic soup spoon, that is rubbed or scraped repeatedly over areas of the body creating heat and activity in that area. When this friction is applied in repeated, even strokes, the “sha” surfaces as tiny red dots, or petichiae. When a lot of sha appears, it tells the practitioner that there was a lot of stagnation in that area. This discoloration disappears within hours to a couple of days. Most patients find that it relieves mild to severe muscle tension, soreness, and pain in a similar way that cups do. Like cupping, gua sha is mainly used for musculoskeletal complaints, but can also be used to treat internal health problems.

Congees are a simple, easy way to prevent and treat illness. A congee is essentially well-cooked rice, often with the addition of simple herbs or foods to prevent and treat specific ailments. Congees are easy to digest, so they are easy on the Pi, or Spleen energy.

The following is a simple congee for cold and flu season. It contains ingredients found in most American households and can be taken at the first sign of infection, or when you are exposed to those who are sick.

Scallion & Glutinous Rice Congee

Herbs: 5 whole Cong Bai (Scallions), 15 grams raw Sheng Jiang (Ginger), 100 grams Nuo Mi (Glutinous Rice*)

Directions: Place rice in a pot on the stove and add twice as much water as rice. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer for a couple of hours until the porridge is reduced to a thin gruel. Mash the scallions and ginger into a pulp or process in a food processor. Add this to the porridge and simmer until combined and warm. Eat the congee and then retire under a blanket until you break into a sweat. Sweating releases the pathogens causing illness.

*Glutinous rice is sometimes called "sticky rice" or "sweet rice." It is more starchy then ordinary medium grain rice and these days can be found in most major grocery stores. When these fail, take the opportunity to try an Asian grocery in the International District such as the infamous Uwajimaya.

Kate Townsend, L.Ac., LMP

Licensed Acupuncturist & Massage Therapist

Kate received her Master’s of Acupuncture in 1996 and her Chinese Herbal Medicine Certification in 1997 from the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NIAOM) in Seattle, Washington. In addition, Kate received her Massage Therapy certification from Brenneke School of Massage in Seattle, Washington in 1996. She is licensed by the state of Washington and is board certified as a Diplomat of Acupuncture by the NCCAOM. She is currently a member of the American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine and the American Massage Therapy Association.

Moxibustion is a wonderful wintertime therapy as it disperses cold, eliminates damp and warms yang. It is one of the best methods for general health and well-being in the Chinese Medicine repertoire. Moxa used daily on the point ZuSanLi is said to prevent all illness and promote longevity. The sensation is generally one of warmth and relaxation, and very popular among patients of Chinese Medicine.

Moxibustion is a form of therapy that developed independently of acupuncture, and may actually pre-date it. There are areas in the northern, colder regions of China in which practitioners use moxibustion in lieu of acupuncture.

The moxa is made from the herb Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which is harvested and laid in the sun to dry. It is then crushed and passed through a sieve repeatedly until it maintains a fine, downy texture. In this form it is referred to as "moxa punk" and is formed into small cones.

The practitioner then places the cone on top of an acupuncture needle or directly onto the skin. The moxa is lit with a stick of incense and the warming and moving properties of the Ai Ye plant enter the point. A slice of ginger or garlic can also be placed between the moxa and the point, infusing the properties of these herbs into the body as well.

Moxa punk can also be made into rolls or small sticks which are placed in a metal tool called a Tiger Warmer. This tool is then moved along the course of a meridian, allowing the moxa to enter the body.

"When a disease cannot be treated by needling it should be treated with moxa." - Ling Shu

Winter is upon us. The weather is turning colder and damper and with that an increase in colds and flus. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help keep us from catching everything that comes our way, and can help us get relief from symptoms when we need it.

In Chinese Medicine one of the six external causes of disease is Wind. This can be taken literally to mean that wind enters the body and causes illness. The area at the back of the neck is referred to as the "Wind Gate," it is thought that this is the area most vulnerable to invasion by Wind.

It is a good idea to keep the back of the neck covered when out in the windy weather to prevent an invasion of wind.

Wind as a cause of disease can also be taken as a metaphor for the characteristics of external disease that come on quickly, cause chills, an aversion to cold and wind, achy sensations in the muscles and cough.

Regardless of whether we believe wind is the literal cause of disease, the windy, damp and cold winter months in Seattle are those in which we are at greatest risk for contagious disease. The techniques for preventing and expelling these infections in Chinese Medicine involve working with the concept of wind. Prevention of winter colds and flus involves boosting the Wei Qi of the body.

Wei Qi is the qi that circulates in the skin and puts up a barrier so that wind cannot enter the body.

Acupuncture can increase the quantity and quality of circulating Wei Qi to increase the protection that an individual's own immune system provides. It is in this way that acupuncture increases immunity.

For those who are especially prone to external invasion, herbal preventative care is also helpful. There are several popular Chinese Herbal Formulas which, when taken regularly just before and during cold and flu season, can also keep that protective immunity functioning optimally.

 Huang Qi, or Astragalus, is a Chinese herb included in many formulas which increase immune function.

When external wind, or infection, does manage to get through the Wei Qi and we feel those early signs of headache, slight aversion to wind, body aches, scratchy or sore throat, and nasal congestion, quick action should be taken.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs taken at first signs of illness can help the body to fight off the attack quickly, leading to shorter colds, and less severe symptoms.