Late Summer and Digestive Health

It's the end of the summer yet it's not quite fall. In Chinese Medicine, this important season is known as "late summer" and it corresponds to the Earth element. In our bodies, the earth element manifests as digestion, and our stomach, spleen and pancreas.

Yellow-orange is the color of the Earth element, as as we look around at the ripening pumpkins and winter squash, corn and grains we get some idea why. Eating yellow/orange food like squash, sweet potatoes and millet is a great way to support the digestion. When digestion is weak all other organ systems are effected, so now is a wonderful time to focus on digestive health.

 If experiencing problems in this area, such as

• weight gain or loss
• bloating or gas
• difficulty digestion
• no appetite or too much appetite
• constipation or loose stools
• stomach ache
• heart burn
• slow digestion

This is a great time of year to get back on track. Acupuncture can help immensely as can herbal supplements such as Bao He Wan which helps digestion after over-eating or slow digestion. Taking enzymes with meals can help as well. For gas/bloating with bowel issues Free and Easy Wanderer (Xiao  Yao Wan) can help as can an acupuncture treatment.

In fact, acupuncture alone can do wonders for all kinds of digestive problems; this is one of the things we've had great success with here at the Birch Center. Points on the stomach and spleen meridians (on the legs, feet and abdomen) help regulate, relax and nourish the digestion. Moxa can be applied to warm and strengthen the meridians if necessary, and the relaxing effect of a balancing acupuncture treatment is without compare.

Now is an excellent time for an acupuncture tune up or to begin treatments.

In health,
David and Melissa Sokulski
licensed acupuncturists