Yeast Infections, Antibiotics and Chinese Medicine

By Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M., L.Ac.

Chinese medicine is very successful at treating yeast infections. The most effective way to treat yeast infections is to create an environment in which the yeast cannot reproduce. An overgrowth of a yeast-like fungus, called candida albicans, can result in conditions such as vaginal yeast infections, fatigue and digestive disorders.

Candida are naturally occurring cells found on the skin and on the mucous membranes. They only cause infections when they multiply due to the absence of beneficial bacteria. When found in the mouth, usually in infants, it is called thrush. It can occur on the skin in infants as "diaper rash" or in the vagina as vaginal yeast infections.

A primary cause is the use of antibiotics, which are used to kill harmful bacteria, but also end up eradicating beneficial bacteria. Other medications that contribute to yeast overgrowth include: hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, chemotherapy, and cortico-steroids.

Anti-fungal medication is usually prescribed, and the use of antibiotics, as well as any medications that contribute to this condition, are discontinued during this time, if at all possible. Often, once anti-fungals are discontinued, the symptoms will recur. This illustrates the necessity to approach not just the symptom of the yeast, but also the underlying cause.

Chinese medicine always aims at treating the source of disease. Any overgrowth of heavy, thick fluids is "phlegm" or "dampness." When it combines with "heat," it is called "damp-heat" or "phlegm-heat." Dampness or phlegm is always considered a symptom, and the root cause of the dampness needs to be addressed for effective treatment.

In Chinese medicine, the Spleen transforms and transports the foods and fluids we eat. When it is weak, the normal fluids of the body become pathological, creating dampness or phlegm. If the discharge is thick and white, with little smell, then it has not yet combined with heat. If it is strong-smelling, yellowish and burning, then it has become "hot."

Acupuncture, herbs and dietary therapy all work toward strengthening the body so that heat is cleared, dampness is eliminated, and the food and fluids are transformed.

Dietary Therapy

Foods that contribute to dampness include:
alcohol, greasy and fried foods, sugar, juices, fruits (especially tropical), peanuts, dairy products, fermented foods, and wheat-based products such as pasta and breads.

Foods that help eliminate dampness include: vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens; beans like mung beans, adzuki, and lentils; grains, including millet, basmati or jasmine rice, and barley.

Herbal Therapy

Once a diagnosis is made, a formula can be prescribed to address the specific cause of your condition. Additionally, a vaginal herbal douche can be made and applied at home for more immediate relief. Yin Care wash, a pre-made herbal solution, can also be used as a vaginal douche at home.

Stress, whether chronic or acute, weakens the immune system, disrupting the natural balance of the body. This may be a contributing factor for recurrent yeast infections. Relaxation techniques and slowing down are important for strengthening the immune system.

Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary therapy are all important components for effectively treating and preventing yeast infections.

Cooking With Chinese Herbs To Stay Healthy During The Winter Months

By Ann Wolman, L.Ac.

In Chinese Medicine, the winter is associated with the water element and with the energetic organ system of the Kidneys. It is the time of maximum yin. These are the cold, quiet, contemplative months. Kidney energy holds our deepest reserves and provides the basis for our constitutional strength. This is a perfect time of year to incorporate nourishing and warming medicinal herbs into your cooking.

Foods and herbs have flavors, temperatures and energetic qualities. The Kidneys are nourished by the flavor of salt and other astringents. The Kidneys benefit from cooling or warming foods depending upon an individual’s constitution, but generally speaking, the Kidneys prefer warm natured herbs and foods. Some foods that nourish Kidney Qi are root vegetables like potatoes, yams, parsnips, and small beans like kidney, aduki and black beans and seeds.

One of the best ways to utilize Chinese dietary and herbal therapy is to cook with Chinese herbs. You can put raw herbs into soups and stews. This is often done with herbs like gou qi zi (lycuim fruit), dang shen (codonopsis), fu Ling (Poria), ren shen (Ginseng) and da zao (Chinese Dates).

It is also traditional to make congee, a kind of grain soup, with herbs. These congees are tasty, nutritious, and cost effective. They are particularly comforting on a cold winter morning. All of the herbal ingredients mentioned are available at the clinic and your practitioner can make more specific recommendations regarding those, which would be most beneficial for you.

Below are a couple of simple congee recipes.

Both of these congees can be varied based upon your taste, and as your practitioner recommends. You can use rice, millet, barley quinoa or amaranth as the base. Spices include cinnamon, bay leaf allspice, rosemary, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and fennel. Try walnuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds, and include different vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin and squash. Experiment a little and enjoy.

If your practitioner suggests a more Kidney yin nourishing recipe, try the Mulberry Congee Recipe.

Basic Herbal Congee Recipe (warming)

½ cup white rice
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock (5 cups stock to 1 part grain if using a crock-pot)
10 grams astragalus root (huang qi)
6 grams codonopsis root (dang shen)
5 grams pueraria root (ge gen)
5 grams lotus seeds (lian zi)
8 shitake or black mushrooms, slivered
1 carrot, diced
1 strip seaweed

Place the astragalus in a bag or tie with string. Cover the codonopsis and pueraria with boiling water for 20 minutes, and then cut into ¼ inch lengths. Simmer all ingredients except carrot for 60 – 90 minutes, or cook overnight in a crock-pot on a low temperature setting. Add the carrot for the last 12 minutes. When done, remove astragalus and serve. This recipe can be varied using other grains like barley and warming herbs like fennel seed and dried ginger.

Mulberry Congee Recipe (cooling)

30 grams fresh mulberries
20 grams dry mulberries
20 grams dried lycium fruit (gou qi zi)
1 /2 cup walnuts
1 cup rice
4 – 7 cups water (7 cups water if using a crock-pot)

Cook mulberries and rice in water preferably overnight in a crock-pot on low setting. Add lycium fruit and walnuts. Serve warm each morning on an empty stomach.

It is even more important in the winter months to follow the basic principles of Chinese dietary therapy, as this will help to protect us from the bad effects of cold natured foods that tend to predominate the American diet. It is suggested that one avoid raw fruits and vegetables and cold or chilled foods and beverages (especially ice cream). Bon Appetit!

Sugar, Sugar Everywhere. Not Sure What To Eat?

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

Eliminating sugar from the diet isn’t easy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the per capita consumption of sugar is 44.2 lbs per year! Sweetened items on special occasions and in moderation can make life a little more fun, but there are alternatives to refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

In Chinese Medicine, the sweet flavor is associated with the Spleen energy. The Spleen energy benefits from a small amount of the sweet flavor, as found in whole grains and vegetables. In large quantities, sweet foods weaken the Spleen, impeding the digestive function and causing dampness to accumulate in the body. Just because something is “naturally sweetened” does not necessarily mean it is any better for you. As a general rule: the less sweet, the better. When we read labels on natural food products, we see a variety of different sweeteners.

Here are a few:

Grain Malts like rice syrup, barley malt, and amasake are mildly sweet and do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. These sweeteners are considered to be among the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry.

Stevia is an all-natural substance derived from the leaves of a South American shrub. It has virtually no calories, doesn't raise blood sugar levels, and does not appear to have the same dampness-producing quality of other sweeteners when used in moderation. But because it is considered to be 300 times sweeter than sugar, an overconsumption can lead to Spleen weakness.

Molasses is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet. Black Strap Molasses contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals and is the least sweet of the varieties. It is considered a Blood tonic because of its high iron content.

Honey is as sweet as sugar. Research has found that honey enhances growth of specific strains of Bifidobacteria, beneficial bacteria in the colon. Honey neutralizes toxins, activates the Lung and Spleen meridians, and nourishes Yin.

Sugar Alcohols (Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol) are derived from the fibers of fruits and vegetables. Excess consumption can have a laxative effect and may produce gas, which implies that they do impact on the Spleen qi.

Many people turn to artificial sweeteners in an attempt to cut sugar from their diet. But what are they really made of? Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) breaks down in the body and converts to formaldehyde! Saccharin (Sweet n’ Low) is a petroleum-based compound, which was temporarily banned in 1977 when a study suggested saccharine caused bladder cancer. Sucralose (Splenda) is chlorinated and other chlorinated substances are known to contain pesticides. With these sweeteners, you may get more than just a little sweetness.

With all the options readily available to us, why not go for more natural, less sweet foods? The best source of sweetness is whole foods, chewed well to bring out their natural flavors.

Baked Apples

2 red apples, cored
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place apples in a baking dish.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all other ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil, and drizzle equally over apples.

4. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender. Serve warm.

Kitchen Recipes for the Fall: Food & Home Therapy for the Colds & Flu of Fall

By Karen Litton, L.Ac.

As the weather begins to get cooler, and the wind changes its nature and starts to feel more "invasive" to the body, it is important to protect ourselves through proper dress and foods. Making sure we are dressed for the weather is important. Wearing a scarf around the neck or protecting the head keeps that "wind" from invading our bodies.

In Chinese medicine, we call wind the Bearer of "100 diseases." It can help the cold to penetrate our bodies; and if our defenses are weak, we can begin to feel those early signs of an impending cold or flu.

An important part of our body's defenses comes from the food we eat. Eating nourishing squashes, hot cereals, and warming grains will help our defenses stay strong.

One way to cook grains that are easily digested is in the form of a "congee." It is a grain-based porridge that is very strengthening for the digestive system. It is cooked in a crock-pot or simmered over very low heat on the stove.

Any number of grains can be used: rice, millet, quinoa, barley, spelt, etc. You can also add sweet potatoes or squashes, various nuts, spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and the flavorings of molasses, honey, rice milk or maple syrup.

You can get creative!

Suggested Congee Grain Combinations:

1 part grain (1/4 cup)
5 parts water (1 and ¼ cup)
Combine in crock-pot & cook on low overnight
(8 hours)
The proportions of grain and water can be adjusted so that you get the consistency you want.

Another way to be prepared for when that "wind" carries some cold or flu past your defenses, is to have on hand at home a remedy for when you first start to feel those signs that you may be "coming down" with something: runny nose, achiness, slight headache, maybe slight chills or a very mild fever.

Directions for the Early Stages of a Cold:

One of the earliest ways to treat these symptoms at home is to brew some tea using spring onions, or scallions, and prepared (fermented) soybeans, which can be bought at your local health food store.

Use 2-5 stalks of the onion with 12 - 30 grams (about a ¼ cup) of the soybeans. Brew for no longer than 10 minutes and drink up to 6 cups a day.

To increase the effect of this "tea" helping to drive the cold back out of the body, lie down and cover yourself with a blanket to induce sweating. Be sure to get plenty of rest and replenish your fluids through drinking enough plain water and herbal teas.

If you are not feeling better, come see us! In the meantime, keep yourself healthy through your food choices and having on hand at home a response to those initial cold symptoms.

The Treatment of Childhood Eczema and Chinese Medicine

By Eric Aufdencamp, L.Ac.

Chinese medicine is very effective in the treatment of childhood eczema. Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, refers to inflammation of the skin and a group of other allergic diseases that commonly develop concurrently or later in life. The most common symptoms include: itchy, red, inflamed skin that may be dry and scaly or exude a clear to yellowish fluid. A Western medical diagnosis provides useful information, but the best information for your acupuncturist is the specific symptoms your child has. This information guides the diagnosis and treatment process.

Chinese Medicine and Eczema

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, the skin not being properly nourished is the main underlying reason that eczema occurs. The Blood and fluids nourish the skin in Chinese Medicine theory. The manifestations of the condition will reveal the specific disharmony disrupting the flow of Blood to the skin. Although there can be many diagnoses in Chinese medicine, some of the most common are: phlegm and damp accumulation, heat in the Blood and/or Blood deficiency. The root of most childhood eczema is chronic lingering pathogenic factor (LPF). This refers to improper treatment of an illness that your child may not have fully recovered from, or the result of some pharmaceuticals. It is important to determine which factor is predominant for the initial treatment. Below are types of eczema and their causes according to Chinese Medicine theory.

1. Phlegm and Dampness Accumulation: This type of eczema is generally caused by a weakness of the Spleen, which then creates dampness. Symptoms can include: rash with oozing fluids, nasal discharge, productive cough, and skin with a yellowish hue.

2. Heat: The heat may be the result of ‘fetal toxins’ or ‘constitutional weaknesses.’ Symptoms may include: red face, irritability, hot to the touch or hot all the time, restlessness, excessive thirst, and appetite. The lesions may be dry if heat is more prominent than dampness.

3. Qi and Blood Deficiency: This is caused by weakness of the Spleen that produces the Blood that nourishes the skin. Symptoms include: dry, flaky skin with a rash that is not very severe, pale or white face, poor appetite, shadows under eyes. The child may tend to be lethargic.

4. Lingering Pathogenic Factor: Symptoms may include: swollen glands in neck or groin, history of repeated illness, frequent antibiotic use, and immunizations.

5. Accumulation Disorder: This is caused by a weakness of the Spleen causing an accumulation dampness that combines with heat. It can be the result of introducing new foods, which are difficult to digest; frequent feedings, which weaken the Spleen; or the use of antibiotics, which create dampness. Symptoms: red, oozing rash, strong constitution, green nasal discharge, swollen abdomen, foul-smelling stools or scent of apples, red cheeks with green hue around the mouth, and irregular stools.

Home Care for Pediatric Eczema

The root of most cases of childhood eczema is the Spleen/Stomach system. That is why diet is one of the most important ways to treat and prevent childhood eczema.

1. Eliminate: excessively sweet foods such as juices, tropical fruits, peanuts, dairy, oily, fried foods, wheat and all sugar.

2. Put your infant on a regular feeding schedule and don’t feed every time they are fussy or cry.

3. Apply a customized essential oil blend to soothe and heal the skin. It must be extracted without chemical solvents, otherwise it may irritate the skin or have very little to no therapeutic effect.

4. An oatmeal bath helps soothe the itchiness associated with many inflammatory skin conditions.

5. Talk to your acupuncturist about home massage techniques you can perform on your child to strengthen his or her Spleen/Stomach (digestive system) meridians.

6. Avoid steroid creams and ointments, if at all possible. They may drive the causative factor deeper into the body, thereby weakening other internal organs.

Cleansing With Chinese Medicine

By Eric Aufdencamp, D.O.M., L.Ac.

Most traditions and cultures around the world employ some type of cleansing regimen for the body and spirit. Some people fast from all solid foods, while others eliminate all animal products. The duration varies greatly depending on the tradition. It may be as little as one day, or up to several weeks.

In Chinese Medicine, we use theory to advise our patients about cleansing protocols, adapted to their particular constitutional weaknesses or strengths.

Chinese Medicine theory believes good health is nurtured by respecting the cycles of nature. For example, the sun is at its peak mid-day and therefore, our digestive ‘heat’ is at its strongest during this time. That is why it is best to eat heavier meals around noon and lighter ones in the evening.

The change of seasons, especially winter to spring and late summer to fall, are ideal times to implement cleansing routines. Your body is more susceptible to illness during these times, so cleansing is an excellent method of prevention.

The therapeutic properties of food and herbs are determined by their flavor. It is ideal to include all of the different flavors in your diet.

• Bitter, for example clears heat, inflammation and dries excess pathological moisture. Sweet strengthens the digestive system.
  
• Sweet flavors, as used in Chinese Medicine, refer to the sweetness of grains, vegetables and legumes.
  
• Sour is astringent and stops the leakage of body fluids.
  
• Pungent flavors disperse and induce sweating.
  
• Salty flavors soften hardness.
  

These flavors can be incorporated into your diet to balance imbalances, while any flavor used excessively or inappropriately, may create an imbalance.

Dampness in Chinese Medicine refers to an accumulation of moisture in the body and has both external and internal causes. Dampness can manifest in many different ways: yeast infections, nasal congestion, chest congestion, and skin conditions with discharge.

Foods that create dampness include: alcohol, peanuts, concentrated sweeteners and juices, tropical fruits, and wheat and dairy products. Reducing or eliminating these, will reduce the possibility that you will experience damp conditions.

As practitioners, we use these guidelines to determine a tailor-made cleansing regimen for each individual patient, which is based on their specific personal constitution:

• Weak, cold, thin, nervous constitutions with dry skin and hair should limit their intake of bitter flavors.
• Overweight people who have a sluggish digestive system or any signs of excess phlegm (chronic nasal congestion, yeast infections, etc.) should limit the intake of sweet foods. Sweet is a beneficial flavor for thin, fatigued, easily startled, and nervous constitutions.
• Sour astringes and binds so use it cautiously if you are constipated. If you have acute or chronic pain, it may create more tightness in the muscles, ligaments and tendons.
• Pungent flavors should be used sparingly in dry, nervous, weak, and thin people. Warming pungent flavors (garlic, cloves, hot peppers) should be avoided with any heat signs or inflammation. People that are dull, lethargic or overweight can benefit from this flavor the most.
• Salty flavors are good for thin, dry, nervous people. Overweight, lethargic people and those with edema (fluid accumulation) should limit their intake of this flavor, which includes seaweeds, barley and millet.
  

For best results, consult your practitioner so they can customize a protocol for your constitutional needs.

Here is a general cleansing regimen:

Eat only organic fruits and vegetables preferably locally grown and organic whole grains like brown rice, millet, and quinoa. You can also eat sprouted grain bread. Only use cold pressed oils such as olive oil and flax seed oil.

Foods that are restricted:
Sugar, coffee, tea (caffeinated), white flour, refined foods, fried foods, alcohol, soy products, animal products, drugs, peanuts and peanut oil

Foods that aid detoxification:
Beets, artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, mustard greens, beet greens, collard, kale, chard, sprouts, romaine lettuce, sea vegetables, daikon radish, turnips, figs, apples

Signs and Symptoms of detoxification:
Headaches, fatigue, dizziness, “withdrawal” symptoms, emotional processing, rash, runny nose, generalized body aches, “foggy” head.

References: Pitchford, Paul, Healing With Whole Foods: Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition, pp. 270-276.

The Season For Local Farmers Markets Is Here!

By Joshua Herr, L.Ac.

Asheville's area farmers' markets are in full swing. Now's the time to take advantage of them, and their increasingly abundant fresh produce. My favorite market to go to is on the UNCA campus. It is called the North Asheville Tail Gate Market.

Reading In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan illustrates to me the importance of the foods I choose to eat and where they come from. Michael Pollan suggests we should: “Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants” as the answer to the question of what we should eat in order to be maximally healthy.

In our modern time and culture, we have more food choices and diet recommendations then ever before. Many of our modern food choices are industrialized, processed foods with the latest nutritional trend plastered on the cover of the box to persuade us that their product would be the best choice for achieving maximal health.

For example, Kellogg’s Fruit Loops Smoothie boasts itself as a good source of calcium. However, this highly industrialized food contains so much processing, and the end product contains such highly refined grains, food coloring and preservatives, any nutrients that have been added during processing are outweighed by the ill effects of this processing. Can we really call this food or is this imitation food?

As a parent, I am distressed by how many processed food products target children and their parents for the fun and convenience of them.

Michael Pollan suggests these guidelines for defining a product as food versus imitation food:

1. Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize.

2. Avoid food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high-fructose corn syrup.

3. Avoid food products that make health claims.

4. Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle. (Produce, meat, fish and dairy line the walls of most grocery stores, while the more processed foods are found in the center.)

5. Get out of the supermarket whenever possible. (This is where the farmer’s market, gardening and wild-crafting come into play.)

This season visit your local farmers' markets weekly. You will be supporting your local economy and making the best food choice possible: real food.

Shopping at the farmers' market also provides us with a needed diversity of food in our diet. The foods that are available at the market will change with the seasons, and the abundance of products that are harvested by the farmer during the growing season typically makes the farmers' market prices cheaper than the supermarket.

Click here for a list farmer’s markets in our area.

I hope to see you there!