Immune Health and Balance – Page 7 – Medford Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic

Get Cultured!…(by your food)

Written by Ann Zimmerman on January 10, 2015. Posted in Digestion/Diet, Immune Health and Balance.

by Ann Zimmerman, LAc.

Cultured foods are foods that have been fermented. This is the process of preserving and enriching food by using beneficial bacteria. Certain species of bacteria help us digest our food, protect us from disease, repair our intestinal cells, and provide us with essential amino acids and vitamins. Science says that there are more microorganisms in our intestinal tract then there are known stars in the universe. All of life evolves and depends upon bacteria for survival. We know that plants and trees grow because in their roots, bacteria fix minerals from the soil to help them grow.

The tradition of eating fermented foods is ancient and world wide. For thousands of years people have been preserving food with the help of bacteria called lactobacillus. Foods such as raw sauerkraut, raw cultured vegetables, miso, kombucha, keifer, and yogurt are sources of this bacteria When lactobacillus is allowed to flourish it helps to break down food and make it more digestible. Also providing live enzymes and beneficial bacteria to help with the whole digestion process.

Winter Roots

Written by Ann Zimmerman on January 10, 2015. Posted in Immune Health and Balance.

By Clark Zimmerman

Winter is the season of roots. As the daylight wanes and the temperature drops, plants pull their energy away from above ground to store into their roots. This is a chance for the plants to rest and consolidate energy before spring’s growth spurt. Making winter the best time of year to include roots in your diet and medicine.

The chemical profile of a plant changes throughout the year. Typically, the part of a plant that is most noticeable in a particular season is also the part of the plant that is the most useful part to consume. Carrots, burdock, potatoes, beets, turnips and parsnips are all in their prime in the winter months. Not only does their flavor tend to be sweeter, they are also more nutritious. They provide the nutrients that our body’s need to thrive in the cold and dark winter months. Roots typically take longer to cook and go perfectly with the seasons desire to be by a warm stove or a simmering soup.

Our Changing Heatlh

Written by Ann Zimmerman on August 6, 2014. Posted in Immune Health and Balance.

By Ann Zimmerman, LAc.

There is a wise saying, “the only constant in life is change”. This is certainly true when we look at our health and what it takes today to feel good verses even tomorrow.

Despite our best efforts to try to settle into a certain pattern of exercise, diet, rest or self-care our needs are always changing and what we are naturally drawn to is always changing. This is often in response to the season, stress, growth patterns or just plain aging.

The needs of a sixteen year old are very different then those of a 60 year old person. Yet, we become very attached to our certain ways of living, whether healthy or not.

In our clinic, nothing will get a quicker defensive reaction than suggesting someone change their diet….even if they know it is making them sick. We are quite stubborn in our ways and forget that nothing is static. Just because you have always eaten pizza or have worked out 6 days a week does not mean that is what you can do now. It is actually quite a “bummer” and quite beautiful! It keeps life new and keeps us present with self-study of what is working for today.