Author: Ann Zimmerman

News Diet

Written by Ann Zimmerman on May 3, 2017. Posted in Mental and Emotional Health, Stress and Fatigue.

by Clark Zimmerman, LAc.

I do a cleanse every spring. In addition to avoiding sugar, alcohol, coffee, dairy and gluten; I also up my water intake, exercise and meditation. I typically begin reluctantly, and become a little impatient and crabby until I get over the hump and start to feel energized and more alive. When I did my annual cleanse this year though, something was a little different. I was avoiding all of the problematic foods as I normally do, and I was exercising and drinking plenty of water, but I couldn’t seem to get over the hump. I was still grouchy a week into the cleanse. Then my wife mentioned to me that she noticed that every time I read the news my mood would sour and I would become visibly distressed. She suggested I go on a “news diet” which involved avoiding the news for one week, instead reading something inspiring or that would promote personal growth. I reluctantly agreed and though it took some getting used to, something interesting happened. My mood lightened, my sleep improved, my conversations changed. I ended up taking a month away from reading the news and it seemed to have a greater impact on me than all of the dietary changes that I was making. I then realized how much of an impact being so plugged into current events was having on my health.

People used to get their news from the newspaper or from word of mouth. Then television came along, and now we have the many news feeds the internet, twitter and Facebook. It seems that everywhere you look there is the news pushing into our lives. It is one thing to be informed, it is another to be fixated. While we should be informed about the world we live in, we should also be careful not to become saturated and overwhelmed by the huge amount of information available.

Many of us start our morning by checking some sort of news source, which tends to begin our day on a stressful note. Then we check in throughout the day, constantly reminding ourselves of the conflict and anxiety that is part of being alive. Unfortunately most news sources owe their existence to the reporting of the dramatic and terrible things that are going on in the world. It is rare to read good news, because so often the good things that are happening in the world are underreported as they don’t garner as much interest from the readers. Media companies are first and foremost businesses so they mostly report on things that make them the most money. Unfortunately this gives the impression that the world is more dangerous and depressing than it truly is.

So how do we stay informed without becoming overwhelmed? The answer to this question is different for everyone, but I would suggest asking yourself whether your news intake is helping you become a better, more helpful person, or is it creating excessive amounts of anxiety in your life. One way to get some perspective is to do a news fast of some sort. It may be a few days, weeks or months. The trick is to give yourself enough time to create some room for perspective. Try to find where your personal threshold is to be informed enough to a helpful participant in the world, without becoming numb or overwhelmed by all of the pain and suffering which is a part of life. Another thing that I find helpful is to find sources of positive, solution based news to mix in with news of the worlds problems. If we find inspiration from the news it can create more joy and hope in our life, which can help us stay healthy and engaged in the practice of making the world a better place.

Exercise: the miracle drug

Written by Ann Zimmerman on November 2, 2016. Posted in Immune Health and Balance, Mental and Emotional Health, Stress and Fatigue.

By Clark Zimmerman, LAc.

The second week of January is the busiest week of the year at most gyms. After a period of holiday gluttony a great many people decide it is time to do something about their health and they go in droves to a gym in hopes of finding some kernel of inspiration that will catapult them into better health. As the month drags on people find that the same old reality of too little time and even less dedication derail their efforts. So it goes with so many attempts at exercise. Exercise has almost become a four letter word in our culture. People either do it with an over-exuberant gusto, or a guilty reluctance. A new article in Time magazine, written by Mandy Oaklander shines some light on why exercise is so important to good health and offers some suggestions about how to make exercise work for your individual life.

Though it has long been believed that exercise can improve quality of life and longevity, scientists are discovering just how much and in what ways exercise works as a medicine. It improves immunity, cognitive function, depression, anxiety, sleep, bone density and of coarse strength and endurance. It can also slow aging, improve wound healing, shrink fat cells, and stabilize blood sugar levels. So if it is this great why is it so hard to get moving? The two things that most people mention when they talk about a lack of exercise are finding the time to work out and finding a workout routine that works for their particular needs. Clinically I find that many patients often don’t work out because they have such busy lives. After working and taking care of the house and family, there really doesn’t seem to be the time or energy to get to a yoga class or jump on the bike. However, emerging science is beginning to show that the longer (think hour or more) workouts aren’t necessary to get most of the health benefits of exercise. As little as 15 minutes of vigorous exercise can give you the benefits of what a more moderate workout can give you in an hour. This seems perfect for so many people that are “too busy” to exercise. Everyone can find 15 minutes every few days. Many people also report that they have trouble finding a workout routine that they like or are physically able to do. Fortunately there are ever increasing variety of options that fit all ages and levels of fitness. The internet is also making it easier than ever to do a quality exercise routine from the comfort of your home, rather than taking the time to drive to a gym across town. Some people really get more benefit out of making it to a class or gym in person, but others may prefer the ease of an internet directed workout. Studies are also proving that yoga, tai qi, walking, and gardening can offer as much benefit as pumping iron, cycling, running or swimming.

The trick seems to be to do some type of cardiovascular exercise that get the heart pumping, as well as some type of strength training. Luckily for some of us, walking counts as a cardio workout, and gardening can give you similar benefits as lifting weights. The important thing is to do some kind of exercise regularly, preferably every day or two. It is nice to know that exercise can be quicker and easier than ever before. With the health benefits rivaling the best health care available it should make us all want to find a way to squeeze a little more exercise into our busy lives.

Wei Qi-immune support

Written by Ann Zimmerman on November 2, 2016. Posted in Immune Health and Balance.

By Ann Zimmerman, LAc.

According to the wisdom tradition of Chinese medicine, our Wei Qi circulates on our body’s surface, protecting us from pathogens like bacteria and viruses. This can be loosely related to how Western medicine views the immune system. In Chinese medicine, the belief is that viruses, bacteria and other pathogens are always present and generally non-threatning to our health unless our Wei Qi has been compromised.

Compromised Wei Qi then leaves our body’s defenses weak against whatever pathogens one might be exposed to in daily life. If a person keeps a lifestyle, such as an unhealthy diet or inadequate sleep over time, then they will ultimately deplete their body’s Wei Qi. Thus leaving them very vulnerable to developing illnesses. In addition to how lifestyles can effect our Wei Qi is the variable factor of extreme weather or stress. Changes in weather, such as large swings in temperature, moisture or wind also weaken our Wei Qi. On a windy fall day, a person with a poor diet who is lacking sleep, will most likely be a person who dealing with some stage of illness.

Stress also depletes our Wei Qi by fatiguing our ability to rest deeply. Often causing indigestion, anxiety, increased pain and insomnia. One of the great bummers of stress is that it does compromise your Wei Qi, often leaving us overwhelmed and sick, at the same time.

Preventing disease has been the center of Chinese Medicine, since its inception.

In the ancient Chinese text, the Neijing states, “To administer medicines to diseases which have already developed is comparable to the behavior of those persons who begin to dig a well after they have become thirsty, and of those who begin to make their weapons after they have already engaged in battle. Would those actions not be too late?

The fall and winter time tends to be a much harder time of year to stay healthy. If you know that

you are headed toward winter with compromised Wei Qi, please be good to yourself and start repairing your health before you get sick. Start practicing better lifestyle habits; eat better, get more sleep, stay hydrated, exercise, and limit sugar. Start/resume taking vitamins and herbs that improve your health and reach out for help if you need it before you get sick. We have seen a couple rounds of illness already pass thru the valley, if you are sick now or still not fully recovered consider using Chinese medicine to help restore your Wei Qi. To your good health!