What Is Buckwheat Good for in the Body? It's a Magic Beauty, Health and Longevity Seed.

The extract of buckwheat (also known as beech wheat) has nothing to do with wheat at all because it’s neither grain nor grass. It’s naturally gluten-free and a relative of sorrel, knotweed and the rhubarb plant.

Buckwheat’s not a grain at all. The buckwheat fruit seed produces starchy seeds. It gets its name from its triangular seeds which resemble the much larger seeds of the beech nut tree and. It also gets is name because the seeds can be ground and used a lot like how we use wheat in cooking.

It’s a superfood with a mild nutty flavor. When toasted, we call buckwheat seeds kasha.  

Buckwheat is believed to have been introduced from Manchuria where it grows wild. A  native of central Asia and originally cultivated in China from the tenth to thirteenth centuries buckwheat was then introduced into Europe by the crusaders.

In terms of buckwheat for health only, its unique nutritional profile makes it important for health conscious consumers. High quality protein, fiber and minerals make this gluten-free seed an overall excellent health food.

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What else is buckwheat good for in the body?

A powerhouse of nutrients, buckwheat is one of the healthiest foods you can consume internally or topically on the skin or hair.

We see buckwheat for health but very much also for beauty and longevity.

“People who love buckwheat live long.” —Tanveer Bilal Pirzadah and Reiaz Ul Rehman in Forgotten Crop for the Future: Issues and Challenges

You can grow buckwheat greens from sproutable seeds. They’re a plentiful source of chlorophyll, enzymes and vitamins. Buckwheat seeds, high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, support skin's elasticity.

This is why we formulate many of our quantum energetic Water element products for more mature skin with buckwheat extract. We do that because of buckwheat’s elasticity encouraging action.

The flavonoids(1) in buckwheat amplify the action of vitamin C and act as antioxidants. This is another easy why buckwheat for health is also for beauty. The extract of buckwheat is an important anti-aging ingredient in skincare.

PHYTO5’s Water element line is very much designed for mature skin and anti-aging. And buckwheat extract is an important ingredient in many of the line’s products.

Buckwheat for health stakes its main claim to fame: Its Rutin or vitamin P Content

Rutin is a natural anti-inflammatory bioflavanoid which protects against skin damage from the sun and environment. Rutin also blocks free radicals which in turn slows the effects of aging and promotes longevity.

Rutin in buckwheat supports blood circulation so important for skin’s healthy youthful glow and strengthens and repairs small capillaries in the skin.

Buckwheat’s high magnesium content also works alongside rutin to relax blood vessels and promote circulation and skin’s glow. This factor also helps to improve circulation in cold hands and feet.

Vitamin B in buckwheat benefits skin, nails and hair enormously. It also helps reduce skin damage caused by sun and environmental factors.

Buckwheat’s high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids helps enhance skin’s elasticity.

And buckwheat’s zinc and magnesium content is very important for skin and hair condition as well as healthy sleep. Buckwheat extract can be used externally for skin eruptions, inflammations and burns.

Buckwheat is 75% complex carbohydrates, a feature exceptional for proper growth of hair. Rich in vitamin A, B-complex vitamins and zinc, buckwheat for health promotes hair growth. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is vital for hair growth and health.

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Besides beauty benefits, what is buckwheat good for in the body?

In addition to skin and hair health, think ‘buckwheat for health’ in general.

Buckwheat also contains vitamin E,  riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (B5), thiamine (B1), B6 and folate all important for everyone and especially people with liver disorders.

What is buckwheat good for in the body? Here’s a good list.

• Its saturated fat content combined with high protein and fiber content aids in appetite suppression and weight loss. Buckwheat’s very high quality proteins and all eight amino acids help lower cholesterol; its amino acid composition surpasses all cereals.

• Buckwheat consumption may lower the risk of fatal stroke and heart attack because it helps balance blood pressure, circulation and vascular integrity.

• A certain type of antioxidant in buckwheat called lignans assists post-menopausal women by helping to prevent breast cancer and other forms of cancer related to hormone imbalance.

• The high levels of vitamin E and magnesium present in buckwheat protect against childhood asthma.

• Because buckwheat is high in insoluble fiber it helps prevent gallstones by facilitating the movement of food through the intestines.

• The manganese in buckwheat helps form healthy bones and connective tissue and can help prevent osteoporosis. 

• Buckwheat also facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses and assists in energy production.

• The amino acid tryptophan in buckwheat elevates mood.

• Less acid forming with a well balanced mineral composition (phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese) combined with a high flavonoid(1) content, buckwheat assists us to combat colds and flu.

When it comes to health and beauty buckwheat is hands down a vital ingredient for your diet and anti-age skincare regimen.

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Endnotes:

(1) Flavonoids are phytonutrients responsible for the vivid colors in fruits and vegetables and are potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits.

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Sources:

Murray, Michael T., et al. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Time Warner International, 2006.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books, 2009.

Verheyen, Yes. Enjoyvity, Your Full Spectrum of Life. Verheyen Consulting, 2010.

Pirzadah, Tanveer Bilal, and Rehman, Reiaz Ul. Buckwheat: Forgotten Crop for the Future: Issues and Challenges. United States, CRC Press, 2021.

Photo by Sage Kirk on Unsplash

Best Eating Practices and Tips for Eating During Energetic Winter According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

According to traditional Chinese medicine, in energetic Winter, the season of the Water element, our energy moves inward. Quieter more passive yin chi is highlighted and active yang chi is subdued. Even in today’s world, we should find ways to hibernate and withdraw during Winter. One way to practice this inward movement is through food. Traditional Chinese medicine is very good at prescribing the particular foods to eat that will warm, sustain and nurture us all season long. And just as important is the manner in which we prepare these Winter foods.

Winter is the perfect time to allow our blood sugar to regain homeostasis by reducing our simple carbohydrate intake (carbohydrate calories made of starchy and sugary foods). We don’t require these like we did in the Summer. Moreover, we simply don’t need sugar-rich foods.

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Winter is the season of storage. We want to look at buying more foods that store well in our homes for Winter like root vegetables, nuts and seeds. We have refrigerators and other methods for helping us to store and keep food from spoiling but this isn’t the whole reason for gathering foods that keep for longer periods of time. The reason is more so that these simply tend to be the foods we should be consuming more of during energetic Winter. 

These storage type foods don’t just keep well, they create energy that our bodies can also store well. 

In Winter, it’s beneficial to have a richer diet since cold temperatures and winds are very drying. The cold air and wind directly attack the skin and nose causing the lungs and your wei chi (immunity) to have to work harder. 

If we allow ourselves to become run down during the Winter and Water element season, our lungs can become inflamed and we can catch a cold. In traditional Chinese medicine, kidneys, the organ of the Water element, are the ‘children’ of the lungs. When the lungs become weak, so do the kidneys, and this makes us more susceptible to colds.

When coldness seeps into our bodies in Winter it causes contraction and limits our movement, and as a result, we become even colder than we were before. Internal cold manifests as poor circulation, aches and pains, asthma, colitis or asthma.

During the energetic Winter season, focus on fat, protein and complex carbohydrates which tend to be very stabilizing and nourishing. The body will draw energy from such foods for a long period of time.

Black turtle beans are the most warming legume and they are very yin-building. You can further increase black turtle beans’ warming energy by adding fresh rosemary when cooking them slowly.

Other foods that will help warm you up are pine nuts, walnuts, chestnuts, anchovies, mussels, and trout. Encourage circulation and thus, warming, with ginger, cloves, fennel, cinnamon and anise.

The following are food prep principles to observe during energetic Winter according to traditional Chinese medicine:

• Make all your food nutritious and warming. Cook everything.

• Cook slowly over long periods of time but on lower heat. Leave the food unmoved during the cooking process. This will bring a calming effect to your food when you eat it. It will also help properly combine food essences which takes a long time. Although living uncooked food can be extremely healthy to eat, sometimes the body needs the certain kind of assistance that combining food essences through slow cooking can provide.

  • If you need to concentrate for study or another task, eat warm simple two-ingredient meals.

  • To enhance your sociable nature during the holidays, eat light meals made of several ingredients.

• Incorporate salty foods into your diet.

• Ingest nothing cold. Everything you consume during this season should be warm.

• Avoid dairy foods.

• Make nutrient-dense broths and consume them daily. Tie some star anise, licorice root, cloves, fennel seeds and a mandarin peel in a muslin cloth and let it simmer in your next broth. This can pack a punch.

• Go no longer than four hours without eating. (Your sleep hours don’t count, of course.)

• Eat lots of kidney-shaped foods like beans and seeds.

• Enjoy lots of nuts at this time.

  • Just like the season, Winter foods like grains, dehydrated foods and seeds and nuts have inward-moving energy.

• Consume black and blue-black foods rich in anthocyanins like blueberries and black beans. For more info., read our comprehensive blogs on the topic, Black or Blue-Black Foods: Excellent Sources of Ultimate Black Food Nutrition During Winter Plus Bonus Cocktail Recipe and More Than A Dozen Oh So Nutritious Black Foods for Winter.

• Make the winter squash family a nurturing hearty addition to almost any meal: acorn, butternut, delicate, hubbard, kabocha and spaghetti squash.

• Bring lots of root vegetables into your Winter diet. They do well in slow cooked stews and soups. Root vegetables include beets, carrots, celery root, jicama, onions (yellow onions, green onions, leeks, shallots), parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, and sweet potatoes.

• Season food with warm pungent herbs and spices which remove inner cold in the Winter: basil, black pepper, garlic, horseradish, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves.

• Though alcohol is not generally recommended, it’s appropriate during energetic Winter to enjoy a small amount of spirits to warm your system up since they are ‘hot-warm’ in nature. They do promote circulation, stimulate the appetite and keep out the cold.

Winter is the season that plays host to holidays and celebrations for a number of cultures and traditions. Even celebrations can be more yin-like and subdued when they’re made cozy and intimate with low lights, soft music and plenty of warming, comforting foods served to the people you love.

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Endnotes:

Counts, Mindi K. Everyday Chinese Medicine: Healing Remedies for Immunity, Vitality, and Optimal Health. United States, Shambhala, 2020.

Wong, Lun, and Knapsey, Kath. Food for the Seasons: Eat Well and Stay Healthy the Traditional Chinese Way. Australia. Red Dog Books. 2012.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska at Pexels

Wake Up More Mature Dehydrated Skin with Hydroxyproline, An Important Component of Collagen

As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen is essential to maintain the normal structure and strength of connective tissue, such as bones, skin, cartilage, and blood vessels. It helps skin cells adhere to one another and also gives the skin strength and elasticity. The amino acid precursor hydroxyproline, along with amino acid* proline, play key roles for collagen stability. For this reason, hydroxyproline is a key unique ingredient in PHYTO5’s Water element Yogi Body Gel. The Water line is one of five quantum energetic lines formulated according to the Five Element Theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

Collagen is second only to water in terms of content of the body. It contains high amounts of the amino acids arginine, glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. These particular amino acids are imperative for keeping skin supple, hair shiny, and nails, bones and joints strong.

Hydroxyproline comprises roughly 13.5% of mammalian collagen. The majority of the body’s collagen is made up of interwoven chains of glycine, proline and either arginine or hydroxyproline, depending on the type of collagen.

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Type I collagen accounts for about 90% of our body’s collagen. Type 1 collagen supports our skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints and muscle health.

Type II is more rare, found mainly in cartilage and eyes, and is actually manufactured by the body.

Type III collagen, the second most abundant type of collagen in the body is quite similar to Type I and it also is manufactured by the body. It helps restore skin’s elasticity and supports the lymphatic system, liver, uterus and intestines.

Collagen’s amino acids are considered “conditionally essential” meaning you can survive without them but if your body is under stress of any kind such as when you are fighting an illness, they become essential. For most people, because stress is so much a way of life for them, these conditionally essential amino acids are actually essential.

It takes a conscious effort to consume collagen rich foods in order to absorb the most appropriate amount of collagen especially as we get older. Collagen is abundant in bone broth, gelatin and the skin of chicken and fish. There are other foods that help us boost our body’s collagen production or at least mitigate its reversal including: avocado, berries, garlic, spinach, kale, chard, tomatoes, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, red pepper, egg whites and ghee. Hydroxyproline itself is common in many gelatin products.

A vitamin C deficiency decreases the conversion of proline to hydroxyproline and this leads to reduced collagen stability.

Foods rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to significantly support the body’s production of collagen whiling guarding the body against the somewhat inevitable loss of collagen.

In addition to rejuvenating hydroxyproline, PHYTO5’s Water element Yogi Body Gel is formulated with high tech natural compound Aquaxyl to hydrate and revitalize the skin, horsetail silica for the synthesis of collagen, aloe and apricot kernel oils to hydrate and nourish, and essential oils of juniper berry and eucalyptus.

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Endnotes

*a group of organic compounds that form the building blocks of proteins that comprise 75% of the body; they are involved in almost every body function, including growth and development, healing and repair, normal digestion, and energy production.

Hydroxyproline. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/hydroxyproline.

Li, Peng and Wu, Guoyao. Roles of Dietary Glycine, Proline, and Hydroxyproline in Collagen Synthesis and Animal Growth. Amino Acids, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28929384/.

Axe, Josh. Collagen Diet: A 28-Day Plan for Sustained Weight Loss, Glowing Skin, Great Gut Health and a Younger You. Orion Spring, 2020.

The Chinese Medicine Water Element

By observing the Chinese medicine(1) Water element and studying Water’s characteristics we can see how we get sick and feel out of balance. Nature always gives us cues. So take the following cues from the Chinese medicine Water element to live a better life.

The Five Element Theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a comprehensive template organizing all natural phenomena into five master groups or patterns in nature.

In fact each of TCM’s five elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—reflects particular natural characteristics or phenomena including:

• direction

• environmental factor

• internal organ

• sense organ

• body tissue

• emotion

• aspect of the soul

• sensation

• sound

• color

• taste

• direction and

• time of day.

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The Chinese Medicine Water Element: Essence of Life and Balance

Water is the essence of life. Water makes it possible for each of the other four elements of TCM to function properly.

Water’s the first place to look when your body feels chronically out of balance. Imbalance in Water causes physical symptoms like:

• lower back pain

• fatigue

• shortness of breath

• vertigo

• dizziness and

• high blood pressure.

The Chinese Medicine Water Element: Kidney Support

The kidneys are associated with the Chinese medicine Water element.

The kidneys primarily store and regulate what TCM calls our Essence—the foundation of blood and chi energy.

Kidney’s energies nourish our body fluids, lubricate our joints, and provide warmth and movement in our bodies.

The kidneys directly connect with our deepest reserves, resources and will.

Energetically speaking, balanced kidneys support our ability to flow even in chaos and lack of clarity.

Emotionally speaking, the kidneys are the seat of our will. Too much fear means our kidneys are out of balance. This imbalance causes us to get stuck over-thinking and leave our bodies energetically drained.

The Chinese Medicine Water Element: Attributes According to TCM

When you embrace the Chinese medicine Water element characteristics you’ll live in harmony with its corresponding season of Winter. And anytime you live in harmony with a season and its element you live better and healthier.

• Season: Winter (November 8 to January 17)

• Skin condition: dehydration, lack of tone, wrinkles; PHYTO5’s quantum energetic Water line of skincare super-hydrates mature very dry skin, increases elasticity and balances moisture retention; and because it’s quantum energetic, it also balances emotion so you can have a sense that all is well.

• Aspect of the psyche: wise, reflective, private

• Virtues: strength, courage, wisdom

• Emotion: fear, dread, anxiety, paranoia, indecisiveness, worry, grief, regret

• Yin organ: kidney

• Yang organ: urinary bladder

• Colors: deep violet, blue and black

• Flavor: salty

• Tissues: bone and marrow

• Five sense organ: ear

• Sensation: hearing and balance

• Sound: the deep sigh or groan

• Direction: North

• Environment: cold

The Chinese Medicine Water Element: Best Foods to Eat

Part of living in harmony with any of the five seasons of TCM including Winter and Water, we should eat foods that share the qualities of that particular element.

Water’s colors are dark blue and blue-black.

The Chinese medicine Water element gives you clues about the color of foods you should increase in your diet during Winter. And you’ll find examples of black and blue-black nourishing foods for Winter and your Water balance in the comprehensive list at the end of this article.

Click here to also read our creative and comprehensive blog on blue and blue-black foods for energetic Winter.

Also ensure your food intake is very hydrating and nourishing at this time.

Good food choices for the Chinese medicine Water element balance include:

• nuts

• seeds

• legumes

• shellfish

• salt water fish

• seaweed

• dark colored berries

• root vegetables

• whole grains

• stews and soups.

During energetic Winter, eat mostly warm and cooked foods. Limit your consumption of cold and raw foods. Cook with warming spices like garlic, ginger, and cardamom.

The Chinese Medicine Water Element: Best Foods List

• adzuki bean

• amaranth

• avocado

• bamboo shoot

• beet

• black bean

• blackberry

• black currants

• black fungus

• black garlic

• black mission figs

• black lentils

• black quinoa

• black rice

• black sea salt

• black sesame seed

• black soybean

• black pepper

• black tea

• black vinegar

• black wheat flour

• blueberry

• blue corn

• broccoli

• cabbage

• cardamom

• cantaloupe

• carrot

• cashew

• celery

• chia seed

• chives

• coconut

• cucumber

• daikon radish

• eggplant

• garlic

• ginger

• grape

• green bean

• leek

• lotus root

• millet

• mulberry

• mustard greens

• oregano

• parsnip

• pea

• peanut

• pear

• pearl barley

• potato

• quinoa

• raspberry

• salt water fish

• seaweed

• sesame seed

• shallot

• shellfish

• shitake mushroom

• snow pea

• soybean

• spinach

• squash

• walnut

• watercress

• watermelon

• wild rice

• winter melon

• zucchini

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Endnotes:

(1) Traditional Chinese medicine or TCM

Sources:

Russell, J. Lei. TCM Foods: Cooking with the Five Elements. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2nd edition. November 19, 2015.

Photo courtesy of Valeria Boltneva at Pexels

Energetic Winter According to Traditional Chinese Medicine Is Here: Learn to Live In Harmony With It

The energetic Winter season is associated with the energetic aspect or element of Water. Water’s organs are the yin kidneys and the yang bladder. Both organs intimately associate with water circulation in the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), when kidney is strong and in balance, our bodies are able to regenerate themselves, and increase youth, vibrancy and vitality. PHYTO5’s quantum energetic Water element line of skin and hair care is expressly formulated to help bring your skin, vital energy and emotions in harmony with this season and element.

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They may sound merely like metaphors but when we look at the imagery and function of the Winter/Water season, the imagery we see has direct and important relevance in our lives and health. Just as the waters of the earth freeze over, Water energy within us has the potential to harden and solidify during this season. When we are in balance with the Water element at this time, we’ll find we tend to become passive and inwardly directed. Those who dread the Winter months or who develop “cabin fever” may want to consider that they are out of balance with Water. When we are not in balance with Water we will also tend to be fearful.

In the ancient medical text, the Neijing Suwen, the Yellow Emperor* advises the following concerning the season:

“During the Winter months all things in nature wither, hide, return home, and enter a resting period, just as lakes and rivers freeze and snow falls… Retire early and get up with the sunrise which is later in Winter. Desires and mental activity should be kept quiet and subdued. Sexual desires especially should be contained as if keeping a happy secret. Stay warm, avoid the cold, and keep the pores closed. Avoid sweating. The philosophy of the Winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such a practice the result will be injury to the kidney energy.”

Though we each have attributes of all of the five elements within us, we do have a dominant element, called our Five Element Type. We are born with this type which presents us with both challenges and gifts throughout life. It can benefit us to understand our type.

You are a Water type if the following generally describes you:

• narrow shoulders, long spine

• large abdomen and head

• broad cheeks

• somewhat darker toned complexion

• cravings for salty foods

• you don’t do well in the cold, especially Winter

• retention of fluid

• memory problems

• challenging symptoms in menopause

• fertility issues

• low libido

• viewpoint tends to be honest, objective and sensible

• introspective

• tendency to fear (especially when out of balance with Water)

• lacking confidence

• tendency to depression in Winter

• challenges fitting in with others

• desire for spiritual and cerebral connections with others

• need for a cause to believe in or direction to follow

• pursuit of knowledge and wisdom

• idealistic visionary seeking to create a better world

• need for connection to something greater than the self and to fulfill ambitions

• a belief that life is inherently dramatic

• self-imposed isolation

• meditation is appealing

• emotional and philosophical

• ability to focus on goals

It’s important to note that the energetics of the kidneys oversee everything that we think of as aging such as: hearing loss, low back pain, knee pain, hair loss, greying hair, menopause, urinary frequency or incontinence, and feeling cold.

Whether you are Water type or a Wood, Fire, Earth, or Metal type, TCM tells us that your health and vitality hinge on whether you choose to live in harmony with energetic Winter or not. Refer back to the Yellow Emporer’s quote above for basic tips. Seek out ways to nurture your inner and outer calm. Utilize this time to more profoundly discover what lies within yourself. Hone your skills of focus and concentration. Find creative ways to surround yourself with the colors of the season–blue and black. Wear them in your clothing and decorate your home with them. Consume blue and blue black foods. Slow cook your food. Be still and quiet and conserve your energy. You’re going to need it for energetic Spring.

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Endnotes:

*The Neijing is one of the most important classics of Taoism andthe highest authority on traditional Chinese medicine. Its authorship is attributed to the great Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, who reigned during the third millennium BCE.

Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity: Understanding the Five Elemental Types for Health and Well-Being. Three Rivers Press, 1998.

https://www.phyto5.us/blog-1/energetic-winter-fear-chinese-medicine-anti-aging-wellness?rq=kidney

Clarifying the Effect of the Energetic Seasons on Your Skincare Regimen: When to Switch from Water to Earth

January 17 marks the end of traditional Chinese medicine’s energetic Winter and the Water element.

This means that Water's energetic influence will cease operating and a new influence begins. From January 18 to the February 4 the Winter seasonal energetic activity returns to Earth for 18 days. Then the energy reappears February 5 as the energy of the Spring season (Wood element).

How does this change affect your skincare regimen and your choice of products?

We need to remember that there is a lag time between the change of energetic influence and the visible consequences, or symptoms, of the change.

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When the Water season ends, its climatic influence is still felt. At that time, the climate in most of the U.S. is still one of Winter, particularly in the Northern half of the country, and the need to protect against the cold and its effects on our skin is still present and not to be ignored. 

For most people it means that a continuation of the Winter regimen is quite logical as long as the Winter climate is in effect, but the people who have a predisposition to Earth conditions (pimples, blemishes or acne, and issues of lymph circulation) need to be aware that with the Earth season their condition will worsen.

It is also the best time to address the issues of the earth skin conditions. They are the people who need to switch lines (and professional treatments) on time.

Using both the Water products and the Earth products might be called for depending on the individual’s condition and the climate at the time.

Because the Water products are also anti-aging products (hydration and tone), given the age and skin condition of the individual, the Water line might be the right choice for most of the year. 

For many of our clients in the states, it’s important to prolong the use of the Water line past the January 17 unless their dominant concern is the skin conditions associated with the Earth element. In that case, switching to Earth is recommended. 

Late Winter Lifestyle Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

The Earth element in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) relates to transformation. It’s active four times a year in 18-day transition periods between the four major seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter). Although we tend to associate the attributes of Earth with late or Indian Summer, Earth also occurs in late Winter, late Spring and late Fall. 

In other words, as the end of each of the traditional four seasons approaches, the “heavenly” (cosmic) seasonal energy goes back to the Earth for transformation into the energy of the next season.

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According to Chinese medicine:

 “…its influence manifests for 18 days at the end of each of the four seasons and it does not pertain to any season of its own…” – The Classic of Categories (1624) by Zhang Jie Bin.

Earth is not unlike the center of the compass. It is a pivot point, so to speak, around which the four seasons and the other four elements spin. But, occurring four times a year for 18 days each, these periods totaling 72 days and which bear similar characteristics are referred to as the Earth energetic season or fifth season of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

The next Earth energetic period is from January 18 to February 4. An Earth imbalance creates any one of the following group of conditions affecting the skin:

• blemishes

• toxicity

• acne

• psoriasis

• enlarged pores and

• lymph circulation problems.

PHYTO5 has created a very specific skin and hair care line designed to help address these imbalances.

Unlike Wood and Fire elements in TCM defined by a rising and peaking yang, and unlike Metal and Water elements with a rising and peaking yin, Earth represents a balance between yin and yang energies. As such, the Earth element represents warm, stable, grounded, loving, emotional characteristics. It is nurturing, comforting, calm, solid and stable. Earth is all about family, community and gathering, eating now and gathering, collecting, holding and storing for later.

Earth energy type people are sentimental and maintain their attachments to other people, things, and places. Earth types tend to savor the sweetness of life and being human and they find enjoyment in all the comforts and pleasures of life. But, as with each element, Earth types can become imbalanced and demonstrate physical and emotional challenges.

According to TCM, Earth is about ingestion and absorption, not just of food but of ideas and emotions. An Earth element imbalance in the body is the result of ingesting too much, or its opposite–stagnation, the slowing down of chi energy flow in the body, or an outright inability to consume or subsequently digest ideas, emotions, or food.

Earth types are thoughtful but can worry too much. They can feel sympathy, deeply allowing them to feel connected to others, but these same emotions taken too far can cause them to feel stuck, unable to act or think clearly, with an over-dependence on others for their opinions, judgment and advice.

Earth types are quite good at maintaining family and friend relationships. They love situations that require them to work with others. They enjoy teamwork and collaborative work environments.

Well-balanced Earth people usually have a healthy complexion, soft facial features, sturdy and balanced body frame, exhibiting an earthiness to their appearance.

The organs most closely associated with Earth are the spleen and the stomach and the digestive system as a whole. The Discussion of Prescriptions from the Golden Chest (c. AD 220) by Zhang Zhong Jing says:

“During the last period of each season, the Spleen is strong enough to resist pathogenic factors.”

Earth also has influence over the pancreas, the large muscles of the body on the upper arms and lower legs, the abdomen, the middle back, the lymph system and the diaphragm. Of course, proper lymph circulation is important in keeping a strong immune system and a healthy complexion.

The Earth periods are the best time to address Earth conditions. They are also the times when Earth energy can make existing Earth imbalance in people worse, therefore balancing Earth energy during the Earth periods with Earth treatments and products is highly recommended, particularly for Earth type people.

…

Sources:

Maciocia, Giovanni. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2015. Print.

Bridges, Lillian. Face Reading in Chinese Medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2012. Print.

You Can Live Beyond Your Prescribed Genetics

Among many critical factors influencing the aging process, our genetic heritage is a major one. Genetics escape our control yet twins with an identical genetic imprint can age differently. This proves other factors like lifestyle are in play.

Other factors include our living conditions. We don’t have control over our environmental climate either.

But other factors point to how we choose to consciously live our lives.

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The physical effects of aging may accelerate as a result of:

• where you live (dry or humid, hot or cold, temperate or extreme climates)

• your socioeconomic conditions (depening on the time and resources you have to take care of yourself)

• your relationships (family and friends)

• your psychological frame of mind (tendency to worry, embrace fear and anger, or to laugh and be merry)

• your diet

• your exercise routine

• your socializing habits

• various personal disciplines you might or might not have, including how you handle stress (at work and in your private life) your spiritual life.

Some factors have little to do with the amount of free time or disposable income you have.

• Do you drive when you could walk instead?

• Do you take the escalator rather than the stairs?

• Do you take every opportunity you have to stretch, exercise, and breathe deeply?

• Do you take a few minutes, even a few seconds, throughout the day to meditate and to manage your negative emotions when they appear?

• Do you find reasons to smile and to laugh?

• Can you stay clear of smoking and alcohol (beyond an occasional beer or glass of wine) and recreational drugs?

Exercise, nutrition and diet (including the choice for energetic foods and phytochemicals in our diet), colon therapy and inner cleansing, and mindfulness practice are all key elements of a lifestyle designed to slow the aging process as much as possible.

In this post, we’ll focus on exercise, so pertinent for this time of year, and we’ll discuss food, inner cleansing and mindfulness practices in soon upcoming posts.

Exercise does not need to be strenuous, but we do need two types of exercises: stretching and cardiovascular.  Exercising in general, and stretching in particular, sponsors the movement of vital energy throughout the body, accelerating the flow of blood that brings necessary nutrients to all cells. It also stimulates the process of elimination of waste within cells and tissues.

It is good to remember that we generate more internal energy as we exercise, but depending on the type of exercise, we might also expend a large amount of energy, leaving us depleted at the end of our session. The goal is to build up energy while expending as little of it as possible. In that respect, low impact and moderately intensive cardiovascular exercises are superior forms of wellness enhancement.

Mindful exercising connects intention to action. It is important because energy follows our intention, therefore we can redirect it. Yoga, qi gong, and tai chi are known for their focus on the coordination of movement and breath with intention and awareness. There are many other activities that can be performed with conscious focus, from golf to simply walking upstairs.

All this is contrary to the frequent practice of mechanically performing exercises while listening to music or watching television in an attempt to distract the mind from repetitive and boring movements.

Conscious breathing should also be considered part of our exercise regimen. For most people, twenty to thirty minutes of accelerated breathing three times a week is quite sufficient.  Experts point to the need of breathing from the abdomen and not simply from the top of the lungs. This action helps the movement of the diaphragm, the largest muscle in the body that acts as a major pump for the movement of lymph and of water throughout the body.

13 Possible Signs You Have a "Water Element Imbalance" According to Chinese Medicine

Water, the element associated with energetic Winter in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is the source of life. It flows, hydrates and purifies.

It carries nourishment to living things–plants, animals, humans. Water can be hard or soft, gentle or powerful, flowing or standing still and stagnating.

In its natural environment, water seeks always to flow downwards and fill every space it contacts. But in the human body water circulates in spite of the lack of a designated pump like blood has with the heart.

Our body shapes would be totally different with all the bulk in our legs if we didn’t have such water circulation throughout the body.

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During Winter, it’s important to conserve energy just like a seed does in nature. Winter’s the time to rest and preserve our essence of life as we prepare for the rebirth of Spring. 

Water circulation is the function of the aspect of vital energy called Water. Proper distribution comes from movement and good breathing. Deep breathing throughout the day activates the largest muscle in the body, the diaphragm, which provides a powerful pumping action ensuring water circulation throughout the body.

In very cold climates, the Winter tendency to hibernate and reduce physical activity must be overcome to ensure enough physical movement and deep breathing necessary for proper water circulation and to avoid water retention, particularly in the legs.

When we’re born, our bodies are about 80% water. As we grow older, we progressively lose water from evaporation that has not been properly replaced. A healthy adult body is comprised of about 75% water. Elderly people might even get to a low of 60%. Further dehydration can become a cause of death.

“The more buff you are (muscle tissue stores more water) the wetter you are. Because women generally have more fat cells, they tend to be a bit drier. Fat cells aren’t as moist. The water that lubricates your joints flushes your waste, assists seminal reproduction, and absorbs shocks to your bones—as you age, the moisturizer in you slowly dwindles.” –Robert Krulwich, Krulwich Wonders on NPR

The importance of proper hydration cannot be underestimated. The medical community is increasingly realizing that most adults are more or less in a severe state of dehydration.

Unfortunately, our drinking water quality is not always satisfactory. Drinking an ample amount of good water is necessary but not fully sufficient. Minerals and electrolytes are necessary. In this regard, fluid from fruits and vegetables is highly desirable. Conversely, too much dry food ( an example would be crackers) contributes to inner dryness.

It is recommended to drink a cup of water per waking hour at regular intervals during the day. It is also good to have water available if and when we wake up during the night. Drinking sodas or coffee is not a substitute for our very necessary water intake quota. In fact, any diuretic such as coffee will eliminate fluid from our body requiring a double dose of hydration to compensate. 

Although occasional flushing of toxins from active perspiration is desirable, the rest of the time, limiting natural evaporation–loss of water from our body–is necessary. Application of a good hydrating cream on the face or hydrating body lotion after a bath or shower will also assist to reduce the rate of evaporation through the day.

During the Winter energetic season, these are signs you’re out of balance with the season’s and the element’s energetic flow:

• Joint weakness, joint swelling, rheumatism, arthritis, tooth decay, osteoporosis (bones and bone marrow are the tissues associated with Winter in TCM). All bones draw nourishment from the energy of kidney and bladder. The cells that carry nourishment, strength and renewal throughout the body are regenerated in the bone marrow.

• Thirst and dryness (water is the element associated with Winter according to TCM).

• Frequency or infrequency of urination (the Winter associated orifices are the genitals, urethra, and anus; kidney is Winter’s organ and bladder Winter’s viscera).

• Excess or deficiency of perspiration, putrid body odor (when the water element is not flowing adequately even to the point of stagnation in the body).

• Reduced metabolism; dehydration compromises metabolism.

• High or low blood pressure (salty is the taste of the Winter season). Too much salt in the system causes fluid retention and is therefore not recommended for high blood pressure patients. Too much salty food is bad for the blood.

• Sexual weakness, infertility, sterility (the genitals are one of the orifices associated with Winter in TCM). Healthy reproduction, the functioning of the testes and ovaries, and the flow of energy necessary to perform the sexual act all depend on Water element balance. The environment essential for the development of the embryo is water.

• Depression, inhibited or blocked emotions, apathy, lack of will power or determination (will power is the spiritual resource associated with Winter in TCM). The kidney (Winter’s organ) stores Jing, the life force or impetus. Without good Jing, one can have difficulty coping with even the simplest of tasks.

• Fear, aloofness, shyness, phobias, an inability to face risk (fear is Winter’s associated emotion). A feeling of foreboding or anxiety may arise. An inability to let go of anxieties or falling into despair is a sign of Water imbalance. “Extreme fear can damage the kidneys, but it can be counteracted by contemplation.” –Neijing Suwen

• Vertigo, dizziness, loss of balance (ears are the sense organ for Winter in TCM).

• Balding (hair is the external physical manifestation of Winter). Strong healthy hair reflects good Jing or life force.

• Constant complaints (moaning and groaning are known as the sound associated with TCM’s Winter energetic season).

• Shaking as a release of withheld tension (accumulation and storage are associated with the Winter element in TCM).

…

Sources:

– Krulwich, Robert. Krulwich Wonders. "Born Wet, Human Babies Are 75 Percent Water. Then Comes The Drying."http://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/11/25/247212488/born-wet-human-babies-are-75-percent-water-then-comes-drying. N.p., 26 Nov. 2013. Web.

Chellini, Serena. Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine. N.p.: Google, n.d. Print.

More Than A Dozen Oh So Nutritious Black Foods for Winter

Traditional Chinese medicine’s (TCM’s) health encyclopedia, The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor (Neijing Suwen), gives clear guidance about how to live in harmony with each energetic season and its corresponding element (Spring-Wood, Summer-Fire, between seasons-Earth, Fall-Metal and Winter-Water).

The Medical Classic teaches us about the relationships of all the fives: seasons, elements, organs, flavors, moods, colors and more. It wisely instructs us in the ways of maintaining equilibrium of body, mind and spirit during the natural cycles of each energetic season.

The color is black for the energetic season of Winter which runs from November 8 to January 17.

So how do we harmonize with Winter with the color black?

One way is through the food we consume during this time.

Believe it not, the Neijing Suwen prescribes the consumption of black foods. In Chinese medicine, black foods are the best for Winter, green foods for Spring, red foods for Summer, yellow foods for late Summer and white foods for Autumn.

Black foods tend to be rich in inorganic salt and melanin. Inorganic salt can help promote fluid metabolism and it is a detoxifer. Melanin can help restrict nitrosamine (a carcinogenic compound) and thus prevent cancer.

FYI: foods containing nitrosamines include cured meats, primarily cooked bacon, beer, some cheeses, nonfat dry milk and occasionally fish.

We’ve included an interesting list of black foods in the next column along with just a smattering of their bountiful health benefits. One thing you’ll notice is a common thread running through these foods: antioxidants! Black, deep purple, nearly black foods contain lots of them!

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Black foods tend to be overlooked in our diets and are just as nutritious as eating green foods which are already commonly accepted as ultra healthy. 

Black foods abound in natural plant pigments called anthocyanins (derived from Greek meaning “flower” and “blue”). This is what makes cherries red, blueberries blue, and blackberries black. Actually, most black foods are blue-black or almost black. The darker the pigment of the food, the more anthocyanins are present. Anthocyanins belong to the flavonoid class of molecules and are essentially, antioxidants. The seed coat of black soybeans contains the highest recorded amount of anthocyanins.

During energetic Winter, balance your black food intake with yellow-orange vegetables, tubers and gourds. Put the emphasis on eating warming foods. Warming foods tend to be yang, promoting circulation and metabolism and placing an upward, outward influence on the body.

Now’s the perfect time for stews and soups. Many of the following ingredients can be incorporated into your one-pot meals, especially black garlic, black lentils or beans, eggplant and black polished rice. Have fun! Yum!

Some health benefits of anthocyanin in black or nearly black foods: 

• Combatting and prevention of cancer

• Anti-aging effect

• Reduced risk of hardening of the arteries

• A more efficient fat burning metabolism

• Decreased cholesterol and improved blood circulation

14 Nutritious Black Foods That Satisfy and Contribute to Preventive Health:

1. Black sea salt (also known as Kala Namak): high sulphur content is very good for your skin

2. Black pepper: stimulates food digesting enzymes

3. Black currant: immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory

4. Black tea: loaded with antioxidants

5. Black polished rice or Forbidden rice: loads of vitamin E for immune system

6. Black soybeans (also known as kuromame): enormous anthocyanin content; see health benefits of anthocyanins below

7. Black lentils: loaded with iron

8. Blackberries: may help reduce cognitive decline in older age and fiber rich

9. Black beans: full of bioflavonoids that protect against cancer

10. Black sesame: enhances bone health and helps you sleep better

11. Black fungus (also known as wood ear),: rich in iron and vitamin K, regular consumption can help prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

12. Black garlic: contains twice the antioxidant levels as fresh garlic; it is made by heating whole bulbs of garlic over the course of several weeks, a process that results in black cloves, a process which appears to double its antioxidant content

13. Eggplant: packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals

14. Kelp: a major source of iodine, kelp helps regulate the thyroid gland

15. Black mission figs: anti-cancer, fiber-rich, antibacterial

…

Sources:

http://www.rd.com/food/fun/skip-the-greens-6-healthy-and-trendy-black-foods/

http://www.naturalnews.com/040968_black_tea_chronic_inflammation_foods.html

https://dailyhealthpost.com/top-7-black-foods-with-powerful-health-benefits/

Hou, Joseph P. Ph. D. Healthy Longevity Techniques: East-west Anti-aging Strategies. Authorhouse, 2010. Print