More and more athletes are using cupping therapy for pain relief and muscle tension - even the likes of Olympic champion Michael Phelps! He sported his cupping marks this year while competing and it’s making ALL the rounds on the internet. Read about his (and other athletes’) experience with cupping and how it can help improve blood circulation, relieve pain, and relax muscle tissue. I love seeing these old wellness therapies making splashes in the modern world!
The kiddos head back to school this week and it’s a good idea to be prepared for the ups and downs the beginning of the school year may bring for our little ones - physically, energetically, and/or emotionally. There are some GREAT herbs - in pediatric formulations - that can assist your child by stabilizing their immune systems, nourishing their energy to stay focused, and easing emotional transitions. These are 3 of my favorite herbal formulas for children to help get them through the back-to-school phase and beyond:
Children’s Jade Defense Formula (by Golden Flower - shown above): This formula can be used for several different applications. Foremost is for recovery following an illness. Fever and cough deplete the body, and it is important to replenish qi after a cold, cough, or other acute sickness. Secondly, I use it when a parent asks me what can I do to boost their child’s immune system, especially when sickness is running rampant at day-care or school. It’s great for this & can safely be taken for a long time, or off and on during the school year. The third application is before and during allergy season. Overall, Jade Defense is a wonderful immune formula for your child!
Peaceful Focus Formula (by Blue Poppy): This formula treats the most commonly seen multi-pattern presentation of ADHD which is a liver-spleen disharmony with heat and restless heart spirit in Chinese medicine. If your child is having trouble focusing, fidgeting, having poor sleep or feeling irritable and restless in the classroom - Peaceful Focus can help them stay grounded and soothe their restless mind-body connection.
Quiet Calm (by Kan Gentle Warriors): Like the digestive and respiratory systems, the mind and nervous system of a young child are rapidly changing, and many youngsters have not yet learned how to adjust smoothly to the flux that surrounds them. Often, but not always, tantrums, crying spells, nightmares, agitation, irritability, and anxiety are harbingers of natural and expected phenomena of growth: meeting new people & adapting to school, playgroups, or babysitters can conspire to upset the apple cart of daily life for the infant, toddler, and older child. Quiet Calm can help ease these transitions when emotions are high and hard to handle.
* All of these pediatric formulas listed above are available at herbal medicine stores with a prescription - call me for details or a consultation for your child. *
… And don’t forget nourishing your child should always begin with food! Packing a healthy and inspiring lunch is a good place to start. Check out Weelicious for delightfully yummy pics and recipes for your kids’ lunch boxes and more.
I think I could be pretty confident in saying that just about EVERYONE throws back a couple of Advil on occasion. For pain, injury, surgical recovery, headaches, arthritis… people take it for so many reasons and almost without thinking whether there might be a better solution to their pain. “Just take some Advil!” I know that phrase was commonplace in my home growing up and many others, I bet. Advil certainly has its place in your medicine cabinet - but I wanted to let you know about a few other herbal approaches that deserve similar status. Here are my favorite herbal pain relievers that really work when taken properly:
1. Turmeric Root + Ginger Root: Turmeric and Ginger are relatives of each other and both have big anti-inflammatory properties. They can increase circulation and relieve pain due to inflammation. Turmeric needs to be heated to release its healing benefits - so use them both in cooking and warm teas for best results, or take as a supplement.
2. Corydalis: Corydalis (or Yan Hu Suo, in Chinese pinyin) is an herb tuber with amazing pain-reducing potential. It invigorates blood, and has been researched to eliminate pain due to inflammatory or injury related causes. Researchers from UC Irvine identified the active compound dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) in Corydalis which holds special promise for those with persistent, chronic pain. Because of its strong circulatory properties, don’t take it during pregnancy.
3. Fish Oil: Fish oil can also ease the inflammation and pain caused by many chronic conditions. The Department of Neurological Surgery at the Univ. of Pittsburg did research demonstrating equivalent effects in reducing arthritic pain of ibuprofen vs. omega 3 fatty acids in their trials! Their subjects took between 1200-2400 mg of fish oil per day.
4. Boswellia: Boswellia is known as Indian Frankincense. It contains active components which help reduce inflammation and pain, & can be taken as a supplement as well as used topically.
5. Magnesium + Epsom Salts: Magnesium helps to relax stiff or spasmodic muscles and improve circulation. In addition to taking magnesium orally, there are topical forms as well as the traditional Epsom salts added to a bath; both absorb easily through the skin and can be quite effective for reducing muscle pain.
There you have it! Next time you are reaching for that Advil out of habit, ask yourself if it’s time to invest in some of these natural products for your home medicine cabinet instead. :)
