Author: Laura Lynn Klein

The key to good health in Chinese medicine is balancing the body’s yin and yang energies. Yin and yang energies are considered opposites or at different ends of the energy spectrum. At the same time, one cannot exist without the other. The qualities of each are like black and white. For example, yin is the moon and yang is the sun, and yin is considered feminine energy while yang is considered masculine energy. Yin is rest while yang is active and yin is west (or sunset) while yang is east (or sunrise). You get the idea. How do you keep the body’s energies balanced? Let’s take a closer look.

1. Know the signs.

To find balance, you must first know when there’s an imbalance. For example, if you have a yin deficiency (too much yang), you may feel anxiety, hyperactivity, frustration, anger, overwhelmed, overly controlling, overly judgmental, and unable to relax. If you have a yang deficiency (too much yin), you may feel depressed, stagnant, tired, hopeless, weak, jealous, or have low self-esteem. No imbalance is a good imbalance, but once you know the signs, you can take steps to rebalance the energies.

2. Channel the other energy.

If you notice you have a deficiency of one energy and an overabundance of another, take steps to channel the other energy. For example, if your mind is too active, causing anxiety, take steps like deep breathing, slow forms of yoga, or meditation to slow it down. If you’re feeling depressed or stagnant, go for a run. When you feel imbalanced, you’re often drawn to the more pronounced energy, but if you listen deeply, it’s often not the one that serves you.

3. See a professional.

A Chinese medicine practitioner can look deeply for any imbalances. For example, a practitioner can tell just from your pulse if there’s an imbalance. They may also look at a patient’s tongue as well as the texture of the skin, hair, or even the sound of a patient’s voice. Tender acupressure points may also indicate problems with the organs that they pertain to in the body. Imbalances can be corrected using a variety of methods like diet, massage, tai chi, and acupuncture. If you have a particular ailment, a practitioner can work to correct the imbalance that’s causing it.

4. Slow down.

Even though an energy imbalance can occur with either yin or yang energy, it’s important to note that we live in an increasingly yang world. We’re more active than ever before, constantly balancing work and family all via our smartphones. We amp with coffee and unwind with alcohol. According to Chinese medicine practitioner Brendan Kelly, too much yang energy can heat up the body. Foods like coffee, spicy foods, sugar, and too much alcohol cause anxiety and an overly active mind. Over time, it can also cause disease. For much of the population, finding balance may be as simple as slowing down and welcoming the yin, or rest, back into your world.

5. Get back to nature.

In Chinese medicine, nature is considered very balancing. If you’re feeling out of sorts, take a walk outside. Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re either anxious or depressed, on varying ends of an energy imbalance. In this case, consider a hike or going on a camping trip. Finding balance is all about extracting yourself from the lifestyle that’s causing the imbalance in the first place and getting back to basics.

6. Open up blockages.

Acupressure and acupuncture can open up stagnation in the flow of qi, which is life energy. Stimulating the flow of qi can clear up imbalances that may lead to chronic conditions. A Chinese medicine practitioner uses needles and massage pressure points to stimulate certain areas along meridians, or lines, of energy in the body.

Chinese medicine is all about balancing the yin and the yang energies in the body. It’s also important that the flow of qi isn’t stagnated by some sort of a blockage. By first noticing imbalances and then working to bring the scale to level once again, you can maintain optimal health and avoid chronic illness—both mental and physical—down the line.

The joints are important for allowing movement in the body. Certain types of joints allow for certain types of movement. For example, the elbow is a hinge joint and its structure doesn’t allow for rotation, whereas the ball-and-socket joints located at the shoulders and hips allow for the greatest range of motion. Our joints are incredibly important but they can degrade over time. This is because cartilage—the smooth, rubbery cushion at the end of the bones that surrounds our joints—can begin to break down. This damage can cause painful chronic inflammation. Fortunately there are a number of steps you can take to prevent such damage.

1. Enjoy an anti-inflammatory diet.

Inflammation can show up in the body in a number of ways, including joint damage. An anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce inflammation in the body. Eat a diet loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado, fish and seafood, tofu, eggs, and moderate amounts of red wine. Avoid too many inflammatory foods such as refined sugar, animal fats, and processed foods. Managing your weight through a healthy diet also reduces impact on the joints. Just 10 extra pounds on your body can increase impact on the joints by 30 to 60 pounds.

2. Add in yoga.

Movement in general is important for joint health, but yoga is especially helpful. One study found that yoga was helpful for people with both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Practitioners saw positive results for their joints both immediately and in the long term. Choose a slower form of yoga that eases movement into the joints, such as integral, Iyengar, or Kripalu yoga. Here are some yoga poses to get you started:

• Warrior pose can help build muscle around the knee and strengthen the joint.
• Bow pose relieves pain at the shoulder joints and the sacroiliac joint in the lower back.
• Bridge pose strengthens the knee joint.
• Triangle pose strengthens the ankle joints.
• Camel pose increases flexibility in the sacroiliac joint.
• Plank pose strengthens the wrists, elbows, and lower back.

3. Enjoy alliums.

Alliums, a food group that includes onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives, have been shown in scientific studies to protect the joints against osteoarthritis. In a study looking at female twins, researchers found that diallyl disulphide, a complex contained in alliums, can protect the joints against degradation. Are you a fan of sautéing onions and garlic? Here’s another reason to love it.

4. Supplement, supplement, supplement.

This is not a doctor’s advice and you should talk to your doctor before starting any supplementation regimen. But a variety of supplements have been shown to protect the joints. A number of well-designed studies have concluded that SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine) can reduce inflammation in the joints. Some research has even shown that it may aid in the repair of cartilage. Indian frankincense has also been shown to have impressive anti-inflammatory properties that may slow the degradation of the joints. Cat’s claw hasn’t been widely investigated, but a few studies have shown its ability to reduce and treat osteoarthritis, and one found that it reduced knee joint pain.

5. Keep joints supple with Chinese medicine.

Chinese medicine practitioners look for the underlying reason for pain because an imbalance in the body may actually be to blame for tender joints. Once your practitioner uncovers your medical history, he or she may come up with an herbal regimen to go along with your acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture needles are single use and sterile. What’s more, they’re usually too small to cause any pain. A number of acupuncture points on the body can help improve joint health. If you have knee pain, for example, four points that are located above and below the knee can help alleviate the pain. Inserting the needles into various points stimulates energy and unlocks blockages wherever they may be in the joints.
Protecting your joints as you age means not having to deal with arthritis pain when you’re older. Love your body and love your joints as you age by taking care of them early on. From diet to exercise to supplements and alternative medicine, a few simple steps can reduce joint impact.

In recent decades, an emphasis on sun damage has led many of us to avoid the sun. But the other side of this coin is that without the sun you can become deficient in vitamin D, a nutrient that’s crucial to optimal health. In fact, vitamin D plays a role in the inner workings of nearly every system in our bodies. As a result, supplementing with vitamin D has become a common practice. But is it necessary? Let’s take a closer look at this critical nutrient.

What’s Vitamin D?

Unlike many other vitamins, the body can make its own vitamin D when it’s exposed to the sun. This is not true of vitamins such as A and C, which the body cannot make and therefore need to be obtained through diet. Once the body makes vitamin D it converts it to a hormone called calcitriol, which is important to many of the body’s systems. For example, vitamin D is critical to strong bones because it helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. In fact, even if you get ample calcium from the foods you eat, without vitamin D, the body cannot properly absorb these minerals.
To a large degree, there’s a lot we don’t know about how vitamin D works in the body, but we do know that it’s found in nearly every cell and that it’s important for the optimal function of the muscles, heart, and lungs, as well as having important anti-cancer benefits. Research has shown that those who are deficient are at an increased risk of having a heart attack. Vitamin D has also been shown to help the body fight off infection.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

The National Institutes of Health and the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Science both currently state that number is around 600 international units (IU) for the majority of adults. It’s the same for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Infants from birth to one year only need 400 IU, and seniors age 71 and older need 800 IU. This is largely due to the fact that the elderly are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. Recent scientific evidence has shown that this number may be statistically flawed, however, because the recommendations were based on averages that were far too low and that the daily allowance may actually be more like 8,000 IUs. This is a wide range, so it’s best to get your blood tested and establish with your doctor what your safe levels should be.

How to Get Enough Vitamin D From the Sun

It’s difficult to quantify how much sun each individual needs to avoid a vitamin D deficiency because your skin’s pigment plays an important role. Sun strength is also important, based on the time of day. For example, if you’re fair skinned, being outside at noon for just a few minutes per day may be plenty. Experts say that for a fair-skinned individual, going out in the sun for just 10 minutes when the sun is strong can produce 10,000 IU of vitamin D, which can last you through cloudy and rainy days. Going beyond that time may be too much sun. But if you have a darker skin tone it may take around 15 minutes or more.

Can You Get Vitamin D From Foods?

It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from your diet because it’s not found in very many sources. But there are a few foods that contain ample amounts. Fatty fish like mackerel and salmon contain between 400 and 600 IU, whereas eggs yolks and beef liver contain around 40 IU. Canned fish like tuna and sardines contain around 140 IU, and fortified foods like milk, almond milk, yogurt, orange juice, tofu, cereals, and oatmeal contain between 100 and 200 IU.

Can You Overdo Vitamin D?

Yes you can. Some doctors fear that too many people are over supplementing, taking in excessive amounts of the vitamin (another reason why you need to get tested). Too much vitamin D can cause overly high blood calcium levels, which lead to nausea, constipation, and even kidney stones.
The bottom line is that you can have too much of a good thing. Although there’s differing evidence when it comes to how much is too much, getting the vitamin through supplementation does put you at risk of overdoing it. If you are supplementing, talk to your doctor about how much you really need.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient for the optimal function of the body’s systems. But a little sunshine combined with a diet rich in fatty fish, eggs, milk, and tofu may be all you really need.