Pears for Lung Health!

Pears for Lung Health!

Pears are a staple in Chinese Medicine for lung health. The Fall is associated with the Metal element and the Lung organ system. It is no wonder that seasonal fruits like pears are key to supporting one of our #1 immune organ systems in the Fall.

While Chinese Medicine has been talking about it for literally centuries ;) Western Medicine is finally coming to agreement in a variety of studies that show the benefits of pears on lung health. Researchers have found that the benefit comes from catechins, one of the largest group of plant compounds called flavonoids. Various flavonoids have been found to act as cell-protecting antioxidants, and guard agains lung disease.

With the smoky air this is a great time to increase your pear consumption. I know that my throat and lungs are feeling dry and sore from the air quality today. Check out this yummy sweet pear recipe for lung health.

Ingredients
2 large or 4 small pears, any variety (I particularly like Bosc pears in this recipe), peeled, cored, and each pear cut into 4 or 6 slices
1 cinnamon stick
2 thin slices of fresh ginger (each ginger piece the size of a quarter coin)
1 vanilla pod
raw local honey, to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon, to taste
optional herbs: 10 goji berries, 5 pieces of chuan bei mu (fritillary bulb), 1 slice of dried astragalus

Bring pears, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and optional herbs to a boil in 4 cups of water (or a little more water if needed, use enough water to cover the pears). Reduce heat and simmer on medium low, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Serve dessert in individual bowls. Each serving should have slices of pear and the cooking liquid served warm or cool.  (Before serving, discard the cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. The optional herbs can be separated out as well, but some people enjoy eating them, especially the goji berries- just be careful not to burn your tongue because the goji berries can get very hot!).)

Add honey to sweeten to taste. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon to taste.

Store the liquid, fruit and spices in a glass storage container in the refrigerator. Keeps for about 3 days.

The Lost Coast!

I spent a big chunk of last week on one of the most challenging but epically beautiful hikes of my life. My friends and I took three days to hike 25 miles of the Lost Coast Trail, and it was hard 🥵! It felt so good to challenge myself like that but I can certainly say I’m still recovering . Much of that trail is on sand and treacherous rocks and it took an incredible amount of focus to get across safely. As hard and tiring as this was, it was kind of my favorite part. It was quite an experience to have to completely focus on each step for hours at a time with the waves crashing next to me. It reminded me of how much I love walking meditation and hope to re-incorporate it back into my routine. 🌈🌟

Hibiscus Rose Cider

Ooooh! Yummy! We are loving the fall color vibe of this Hibiscus Rose Cider from @mountainroseherbs. Check out this simple recipe to help get in the spirit of the beginnings of fall.

What You Will Need

Mason Jar

Strainer

Ingredients

1/2 cup of Hibiscus Flower Powder

1/4 cup of Rosehips

1/4 cup of Dried Ginger Root

2 tablespoon of Rosebuds

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

5-6 cups of water

2-3 tablespoons of honey

OR 1/2 teaspoon of stevia

Instructions

In a big mason jar, fill up the bottom of the jars with the dry herbs.

Add in the water.

Steep for 10-15 minutes.

Add in your sweetener and apple cider vinegar to taste.

Enjoy right away or add ice if you want an iced version.

It's Time to Lose the Fear About Fat!

I cannot preach this any louder! 🗣 Please rethink your fat consumption and read these awesome fat facts. The conventional "normal" levels on a lipid test are...well...BS!

P.S. From a Functional Medicine lens, a healthy cholesterol level is anywhere between 180-220 🥰
FAT FEAR (no more)...very important repost from @realfoodology about FAT and losing your fear of consuming high quality fats in personal moderation...

Check it out:👇⁠
- The low fat movement was one of the worst fads humanity has ever participated in.⁠
- Your brain is made up of fat & runs on fat. It needs fat to function at optimal levels!⁠
- Alzheimer’s is on the rise and many experts believe this is a result of fat deprivation and higher consumption of sugar from the 80’s/ 90’s food trend.⁠
- When you take fat from food it makes food bland, so fat free foods was are pumped full of sugar to make up for the taste loss.⁠
- More fat, less sugar for a healthy brain!!

Problems Associated with Reduced Cholesterol:
- 200% increase in cerebrovascular accidents
- 300% increase in liver cancer
- 200% increase in lung disease
- 200% increase in depression and suicides
- 200% increase in addictive behavior
- Reduced cholesterol levels are associated with poor steroid hormone production (e.g. cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, progesterone)
- Studies consistently show higher levels of cholesterol (between 180-220) are very protective for hormone support.

Ok...getting off my soap box now 🤗

Photo cred @kitchenwitchbroth

Dealing with Chronic + Acute Pain through Acupuncture

One of the biggest reasons we are so adamant about offering sliding scale services, is to create greater access to chronic and acute pain relief. We believe so strongly in the power of this medicine and we know that it is key to guiding people out of unnecessary suffering. With little to no side effects, acupuncture is proven over and over again to be safe, effective and clinically relevant for pain management. A 2016 study found that 93% of 89,000 people reported successful treatment for musculoskeletal pain, Yet only 23% of patients with chronic pain found opiates effective, according to a 2006 survey by the American Pain Foundation and a recent review found that opioids at guideline recommended doses were not effective for low back pain.

With that said, come check out Brooke at our sliding scale clinic today from 3-8 at our @shopharborside location!!

It's Harvest Time! What are you making?

It's Harvest Season! Loving this shot from @meganfaletra+ @mountainroseherbs

"Many of us are currently up to our elbows (literally!) in fall food preservation, our kitchens permeated by the smells of old family recipes or new garden goods experiments. Whether you're canning, pickling, fermenting, or freezing, there's nothing more satisfying than adding your own special blends of homegrown or lovingly selected herbs and spices to the culinary creations that will see you through the winter (and maybe beyond!). What projects are commandeering your countertops right now?

Fall Squash Season is Coming!

We're loving seeing the bounty of BOTH summer and the early fall harvest coming into the markets!
Great tips from @ancientrootsnutrition :
How you cook your food (or don't cook it) is just as important to your health as eating the right flavors of grains, pulses, produce, meat, and dairy (if you eat the last two).⁠

According to the classics defining the theories of acupuncture and East Asian medicine, each season has an art of living that informs us how to cook or not cook our foods to best support our health during that season. Learning to follow the cooking versus non-cooking guidelines not only helps keep your body strong, it can also help you avoid illness. ⁠

#latesummer #squash #goodeats#healthyliving #healthylifestyle#homecooking #wholisticnutrition#chinesemedicine #cooked #wellness#nutrition #rootandstem #nutrition#eatyourvitamins #fallharvest

Community Acupuncture! R&R on Wednesdays + Fridays

Wishing you a happy and auspicious Friday the 13th from our @shopharborside Wellness Center!

Have you tried our Semi-Private Community Acupuncture?

Our new root + stem office is located inside of Harborside Wellness in Oakland.

*Acupuncture + beyond (Cupping and Guasha offered when recommended)

*Our difference : full service acupuncture at a lower rate

*No more than 3 clients at a time

*Our new location is inside of Oakland's Top Rated Harborside Wellness dispensary

>>>Walks in available + rates offered on a sliding scale <<<

Come check it out, and see the amazing Brooke McClelland on Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 - 8pm.

Book @ oaklandrootandstem.com/harborside-wellness-center-on-embarcedero

Our Fav Natural Facial Rejuvenation Products!

Ooh la la! We are stocked up with all our favorite Facial Rejuvenation products from @pinklightbotanicals and @leafseedberry. Come by to check out our new tester display. Free temporary tattoo with every purchase! 🌟🤩🥰🌟

Upgrade your Breakfast!

Our mouth is already watering from this luscious looking Farmer’s market breakfast made by our lovely acupuncturist @brookie.mackie! She will be at @shopharborside today from 3-8 for community and private acupuncture!

I’ve been trying to upgrade my breakfast lately. Subbing in Japanese sweet potatoes with grass-fed butter for my gluten-free toast habit.

Menopause Miso

Chicken Broth with Yellow Miso and Lotus Root

Serving size: About 2

• 2 Cups chicken broth – benefits blood, essence or Jing, spleen, stomach and Qi. Enters the kidney channel.

• ½ Cup yellow onion julienne– warm, counteracts damp and cold, improve blood and Qi circulation

• 2 Tablespoons water

• ¾ Cup tofu – builds Yin, blood and is a Qi tonic that supports the kidney

• Small handful spinach – promote Qi and Blood and Yin

• 2-3 inch piece lotus root thinly sliced– counteracts heat and promotes Qi circulation

• 2 Scallion, green part - warm, tonifies yang, eliminates cold and supports blood circulation and digestion.

• 1 teaspoon miso – soy same as tofu benefits, naturally fermented foods are invaluable for digestion, warming, benefits the kidney,

• 1 Tablespoon goji berries – tonifies kidney Yin

• Dash white pepper – counteracts damp

• 1 Tablespoon ginger, julienne– warming stimulates digestion and boosts circulation

• ½ Teaspoon sesame oil – counteracts heat and tonifies Yin

• 2 Medium shiitake julienne – blood and Qi tonic, supports spleen stomach and liver

Directions

Lightly cook the julienne onion and shiitake mushrooms in the 2 tablespoons water, add the chicken broth, ginger, goji and lotus (do not peel lotus, allow the hot broth to slightly braise.) bring to a simmer.  Add the white pepper, tofu and miso (Thin the miso with a little stock then add back into the soup. Long cooking or boiling destroys miso’s beneficial organisms.) Add spinach and sesame oil and serve, garnish with scallions.

Options:

Seaweed is great for strengthening kidneys and building Yin so you could use dashi granules or make a broth using kombu and bonito flakes.

Add poached egg if you want more protein, should be antibiotic and hormone free if possible.  Chicken eggs supports blood and promotes blood circulation, it also supports essence and Yin.

Honoring Menopause

In many Eastern cultures, menopause is often welcomed and honored as a time of transition for women. Many studies show that few women in Asian countries experience issues and symptoms during this transition, while in the West, we suffer needlessly!

Anxiety, night sweating, hot flashes, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain are among the most common issues that I see in my clinic for those going through menopause. In Chinese Medicine theory, it can be well managed with diet, herbs, and acupuncture with fewer risks and side effects than contemporary western solutions like hormone replacement therapy.

Kidney Yin deficiency (the common pattern found in Eastern Medicine for menopausal symptoms) can be managed with eliminating excessive sugar, poor quality meats, quitting smoking, reducing stress, and trying to not "burn the candle at both ends".

As we know now that food IS medicine, check out our blog for a yummy Menopause Miso recipe that supports both the Kidney Yin and Yang functions to help reduce unwanted menopause symptoms.

The Revolutionary Body Clock!

There is nothing I love more than when Modern Medicine catches up with the teachings of Ancient Medicine. Eastern Medicine relies on a system where specific organs self regulate at different times of the day. This body clock has been used to diagnose and treat for thousands of years, and is especially helpful with sleep issues. 🌚 ☯️

During a 15 year study of the impact of light on the health for more than one billion people, it seems that we now have substantial evidence of how our internal clocks transmit their timing information AND how our organs read time and do different tasks at specific times!!!!!!! 🤯🤯🤯

As you see in the image of the Eastern Medicine clock, each organ has a period of about 2 hours in which it is "on" and processing. Notice that the Liver time is between 1-3am. This is one of the most common times for anxiety insomnia. 😩

I call it anxiety insomnia because it seems to be a wakeful time where we spend an hour or two (or more!) laying in bed thinking about any possible stressful issue that we could possibly bring into our heads instead of sleeping. When that happens it is a sign that the Liver is imbalanced and unable to process and detox correctly. This is just one area where this helpful clock can be used in the treatment of so many issues. We can use this clock for so much thanks to the teachings of Ancient Medicine! 💪🏽🙏🏼👏🏿

Lavender, Holy Basil + Rose Tea at Haborside Wellness

Brooke will be serving this yummy HOLY BASIL, ROSE & LAVENDER LEMONADE at our @shopharborside location today from 3-8!! Yum!! Recipe and pic courtesy of @mountainroseherbs

Recipe: Lavender & Holy Basil Infused Lemonade

Ingredients:

6 cups water

2 cups fresh lemon juice (don’t thrown away the lemons peels! Compost them or make citrus infused cleaning vinegar)

3 tbsp dried holy basil

3 tbsp dried lavender

1 cup simple syrup (2 cups water 2 cups sugar- heat water on stove top and dissolve the sugar into it. Store in the fridge and keep on hand for iced teas, cocktails, and lemonade like this! Step it up a level with my Peach Lavender Simple Syrup.)

Method:

Heat 2 cups of the water in a small saucepan on medium.

Once the water is heated, add the lavender and holy basil.

Allow the herbs to steep in the water as it cools for 20 minutes.

In a large picture, stir together lemon juice, simple syrup, and the remaining 4 cups of water.

Strain the herbal infusion into the pitcher and stir. Serve over ice.

Community Acupuncture at Harborside!

Our lovely Brooke will be at our @shopharborside location Wednesdays and Fridays from 3-8 for community and private acupuncture. Come check her out! #acupuncture

#community #communityacupuncture #acupuncture #acupunctureforeveryone #communityacupuncture #rootandstem #dispensary #wellness #functionalmedicine #treatyourself #selfcare

Loving these eye pillows at Harborside!

@sswans really killed it with these new lavender scented hand stitched eye pillows for our @shopharborside location! We are so excited to add them to the relaxation list for our sliding scale Community Acupuncture treatments happening today from 2-8! Book now in our link!

#acupuncture #community #communityacupuncture #acupuncture #acupunctureforeveryone #communityacupuncture #rootandstem #dispensary #wellness #functionalmedicine #treatyourself #selfcare

Inspiration in the Kitchen!

The lovely @lyssandra_nativepalms is always inspiring us with great ideas in the kitchen!

🥑🍓🍈🌱

keepin' it fresh, clean, seasonal, and making it with puuure love is such a goood feeeling ...

PS. take note of this bootch ... higher alcohol percentage than the regulars. This one has ashwaghanda, turmeric, and ginger ... stress reducing, boozy bootch ...

PSS. Bootch still has a lot of sugar, so if you're avoiding sugar or have candida overgrowth, I'd refrain... #bearerofbadnewssorry

Our Fav Sauerkraut Recipe

Our Fav Sauerkraut Recipe

1 Big Head Purple Cabbage (or 3 small ones!)

2 - 3 Medium Carrots

2 Red Beets

2 TBL Celtic Sea Salt

Directions :

Chop all ingredients to your liking (we prefer a rough chop). Afterwards spend approximately 15 minutes of squishing all the above ingredients into a jar with the briny/salty liquid and fill to at least 1 - 2 inches above the kraut. Let the jar sit in a dark area of your kitchen or a room with decent air flow for at least three days, and up to two weeks.

Sauerkraut update! 🥬

I have to admit, it is so yummy! I'm pretty impressed with how easy it was to make delish kraut, and it goes so great as a summer bbq side! I understand it isn't a taste that everyone loves, so here is a list of its many MANY benefits that might help convince you to add it to your dinner plate.
🌟Packed with probiotics for gut health
🌟High in fiber for gut and heart health helping reduced heart disease
🌟Sulfer-containing Glucosinolates!! Powerhouses for all kinds of goodness. Studies link these to protective anti-cancer activity especially in the lungs and alimentary tract
🌟Glucosinolates found in brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc) encourage the liver during phase 1 metabolism helping rid the body of toxins, STRESS, inflammation....the list is long!
🌟Cruciferous veggies help the body process and excrete excess estrogen (estrogen dominance anyone??) and help balance hormones throughout the menstrual cycle.
Check out our stories page for a simple recipe rundown!!

A great day for acupuncture!

Another beautiful bouquet, another beautiful day for treatment @harborside_stores Wellness Center with @brookie.mackie!

We're offering Community-based sliding scale Acupuncture on Wednesdays and Fridays now!

#summerblooms #communityacupuncture #harborsideoakland #rootandstemchinesemedicine #acupuncture #oaklandacupuncture

Beyond the Pill - A Recommended Book!

Fabulous book by the fabulous @drjolenebrighten. So great to see my old office mate killing it with this must read #bestseller. 🌟💪🏼💯 There is so much great information in here that I would suggest it for anyone regardless of your birth control history.

💃🏻🕺🏽

#rootandstem #functionalmedicine #easternmedicine #acupuncture #acupunctureworks #labanalysis #eastmeetswest #labwork #topratedacupuncture #womenshealth #chineseherbs #herbalmedicine #6weekstoglow #health #wellness #eatwell #feelbetter #naturalglow #healthtips #bestofoakland #hormonesupport #hormonebalance