Karen Chan Acupuncture
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To detox or not to detox...

3/31/2015

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Spring is here and most people are thinking this is the time of detox.  In Chinese medicine, we do not think of only detoxing once or twice a year.  We use food throughout the year to nourish, build and detox. Below I've given a family recipe for a (delicious) detoxifying broth which you can include in your diet regularly.

As you know I am all about prevention so it is best to do a little bit of something every day or rather than once or twice a year.  Growing up, my mom would make this great broth couple times a week to cleans the body during Spring time (sometimes just because!).


Pork Bone Broth Soup
This soup detoxifies and provides nutrition to the body.

  • 1 pound of pork bone (it is neutral in temperature)  For example, lamb is hot, beef is warm and pork is neutral so it is best for making soup.
  • 1 bunch of watercress
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 2-3 green diakon
  • 10 cups of water

Bring to boil and simmer for a hour. Enjoy the broth either before dinner or anytime you like!
Bonus, you may even have a great bowel movement.


Keep in mind, detoxing once or twice a year may be too harsh for some individuals, especially if one has health issues. If you are planning to go through a serious cleanse, please find a practitioner to guide you through the process. Many people miss the step of filling the body with nutritious food after the elimination process, but this very important step is how our bodies can heal. After a cleanse, slowly build the body with nutritious dense food. Our body can't run on an empty tank and that's why, without proper post cleanse nutrition, elimination can be harmful.

Stay tune for the Summer time recipe for clearing Summer heat in June!

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Are the foods you're feeding your body fostering an environment for health?

3/10/2015

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As you very well know, I have been advising my patients to eliminate gluten, sugar and caffeine to help with allergy symptoms and food sensitivity.  I also suggest to my patients to consume more alkaline foods rather than load up with acidic foods (gluten, sugar and caffeine are each acidic). Acidic food can cause a host of ailments; inflammation in the body causing muscle pain, joint pain, stomach pain, among other things.

I found a few charts on the internet that are very useful.  Print the chart below, or one from the links provided, and keep it with your recipes as a guideline in consuming more alkaline foods. 
http://www.pkdiet.com/pages/diet/dietalkalinelist.htm
http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

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Click the image for more charts on alkaline and acidic foods.

You may be very familiar with the saying..."An apple a day, keeps the doctor away".  We usually never put much thought into it except that it is good for us because of the fiber content.  Well, apple is an alkaline food.  Maybe that's how this saying came about! 

Consuming more alkaline food keeps the pH balanced in our body, a more balanced body creates an environment for better health. These charts are not intended to cure your diseases but as a guideline to inform you the property of certain foods that can be more acidic or more alkaline. Please consult a licensed practitioner to guide you through the process if you are looking to treat any ailments.

Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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When it's cold, dress and EAT warm. 

2/15/2015

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During the Winter months, it is best to eat and dress for the season.  This is the time to eat nutritious dense food.  Winter is the time to nourish, build and fill our body with nourishment. It is not the time to eliminate or cleanse. One of the most nutritious foods is bone broth soup.  It is loaded with minerals and very it is nourishing.  

Here is a recipe for bone broth from Three Stone Hearth in Berkeley. If you don't have time to make it you can pick it up from them at 1581 University in Berkeley, they provide nutritious dense food from their kitchen. And this bone broth is amazing.

Ingredients:
  • 6 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger root
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 1 qt. Three Stone Hearth beef bone broth
  • 1 Tbsp. tamari (or other soy sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp. mirin (rice cooking wine) or cooking sherry
  • ¾ lb. grass-fed flank steak
  • 8 oz. buckwheat soba noodles
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1/3 (or more) cups Three Stone Hearth Spicy Kimchi


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Procedure:

  1. In a small pot, combine the ginger, garlic, beef broth, tamari, and mirin. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook over low heat while continuing to prepare the soup.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the soba noodles.
  3. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. Heat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil or other oil to the pan, and when the oil is hot, add the steak.
  5. Sear until the underside is just browned (about 3 minutes) and then turn over and cook on the other side another 3 minutes. The idea is to sear and brown the outside of the steak while keeping it pink (rare) in the middle, as grass-fed meat becomes tough when overcooked (it will cook a bit more when you pour the hot broth over it). You can also grill or broil the steak if you prefer-just don’t overcook it!
  6. Remove the steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest while you finish cooking.
  7. Add the soba noodles to the salted boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 7 minutes.
  8. When the soba noodles are cooked, pour them through a colander and rinse with cool water to remove excess starch. Toss the noodles with the toasted sesame oil.
  9. Remove the ginger slices from the ginger-garlic broth and taste it. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Slice the steak across the grain into thin strips, about 1/8 inch thick and 2-4 inches long.
  11. In a large bowl, put a generous portion of soba noodles, then put strips of steak over the noodles, and ladle plenty of hot broth over it.
  12. I like to put my Kimchi right in the soup, my partner prefers to eat the Kimchi on the side.
  13. Serve with chopsticks and a large spoon.



Thank you Stone Hearth! 
http://www.threestonehearth.com/news/nutrient-spotlight-bone-broth/

Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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Pear-Tea for the lingering cough

1/15/2015

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This Winter has not been great for many who caught the nasty cold or flu. Not to mention the cough that usually lingers long after the cold is gone.  I think you'll find this recipe to be helpful, simple and tasty, as I do.

Recipe: Pear-Tea for dry cough 
  • 2 pears
  • Rock sugar (found at any Chinese grocery store) Alternatives to rock sugar: raw unsalted almonds (soak 2 or more hours), or honey (not for children under 1 year)
  • 3 cups of water

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Chinese rock sugar, easy to find at any Chinese grocery store.
Make: 
Place all the ingredients in a small pot, bring to boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes. If you can't find rock sugar, you can substitute with raw unsalted almonds. 

Note: The almond substitute was suggested from my colleague Dave Stokke.  I usually use rock sugar and had never tried it with almonds, and I must say, it is just as good if not better!

Results:
You will yield 1 to 2 cups.  Divide into 2 servings and drink while it is hot or warm.  It really nourishes the throat and relieves the dry cough.

Don't waste the remainder of the good stuff, you can do a second boil.  Add 2 cups of water to the pot and boil it again for 20-25 minute.  You should yield about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid.  Strain and drink it hot to warm.

Use this recipe until your cough is gone, and hold on to it, you can also use this recipe to lubricate a dry throat. 

Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226

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Elderberry Gummies for health!

12/15/2014

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Elderberry contains powerful antioxidants (often used in the treatment of flu), making it a great immunity boosting treat that you can give to your kids or enjoy yourself!

Note: Honey is not recommended for people with severe deficient immune system or children under 1 year of age due to the very small risk of botulism. Nursing mothers should substitute honey with another sweetener or stevia if appropriate.
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Ingredients:
2 -1/2 cup filtered water
1/3 cup dried elderberries
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
½ cup gelatin (Note: If you like firmer gummy like the ones you get from the store, you can add more gelatin)

Directions:
1. Make a tea out of the elderberries: Bring water to boil, then add elderberries and simmer for 5 minutes, or until dark in color
2. Drain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 2 cups
3. Add in honey and vanilla and allow to cool
4. Stir in gelatin (it’s easier to stir into room temp liquid) until all clumps are out and mixture is uniform
5. Heat in a saucepan over medium-low until gelatin is all dissolved
6. Pour into a glass container to set
7. Allow to set in the fridge
8. Cut into approx. ½ inch by 1 inch cubes, or as desired
9. Take one or more daily, as desired
10. Store in the fridge

Experience with the amount of honey and gelatin for taste and texture.  I personally like it with less honey than what the recipe calls for.  It provides a touch of sweet without being too sweet.  Enjoy!!!

Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226

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Yes, the flu season is here! 

12/13/2014

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Are you prepared?  I am a big believer in preventive care as some of you already know. This time of the year it is more stressful due to the holidays, not to mention you will be around a lot of people out shopping, at office parties and everything in between.

For preventive care I always have the herb formulas Yin Qiao San or Gan Mao Ling around so I can use it at the first sign of the “feeling of something coming on”.   These are in a convenient pill form so I can take them with me wherever I go. I take my preventative herbs year round faithfully to help protect myself, my patients and my love ones so I don’t pass it on to them.  Colds and flus get thrown back and worth so protecting the people around you will also keep you from catching it back. 

I also use Cloud of Protection by Nieves. If someone coughs or sneezes around your space, you can spray this anti-bacterial and anti-viral spray to fight off germs.  It is all natural and smells great.  I use it in the office after I treat someone with a cold or a flu.  It really clears the air and offers a cleaner environment to breathe in.
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Your immune system plays a big part of keeping you healthy.  Make sure you eat a warm and balanced meal.  In TCM, we believe in eating for the season just like dressing appropriately for the season.  This is the time to nourish your body so eat slow-cooked warm food. This is not the time to detox, eat cold salad and “rabbit food”, you can have that again in the summer.  

Getting enough sleep is very important and if you can squeeze in a 10-15 minute power nap at any time, it will make a world of difference to rejuvenate the body.  Don’t have time to take a power nap, just close your eyes and tune out for 5 minutes. This simple step can help your 
body recharge.  Don’t have 5 minutes? just imagine being out of commission for at least 2 weeks. You won’t be good for the loved ones around you or to yourself.  So yes, you can squeeze in 5 minutes for yourself. Tough love :)

Take a moment to breathe deeply when you are in a stressful situation.  This simple step can reset your stress hormone to calm you down.  Managing your stress can assist your immune system to keep you healthy. 

One more thing, keep your hands off your face to avoid germ transfer from your hands to your open orifices (eyes, nose, mouth).  I know I sound like a broken record but I can’t stress how important this is. I know you heard of all these tips before but that’s because they work.  I am not trying to reinvent the wheel but keeping these tips in mind will keep you healthy so you can have a more pleasant holiday with friends and family. 

What if you are already sick with the flu!

First things first, do not go to work and get other people sick.  You already know this may come back to you at some point if you contaminate someone else. Unfortunately, once you are sick you will have to ride out the illness but you have the power to reduce the time and the severity of the illness by getting plenty of rest, stay hydrated (drink warm or hot liquid only, cold beverages makes the flu last longer) and take herbs. These tips will help shorten the duration and severity of the flu. If need to, seek help from your practitioner.
Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226

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Cold Season is all around us

11/15/2014

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Winter is here and the holidays have begun. Here are some tips on staying healthy. 
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  • Stay hydrated – Drink warm liquid – no cold juice or cold beverage (lowers immunity)
  • Eat warm healthy food (slow cooking food retains lots of heat so great to consume during this time of the year). Salad is not recommended. It is consider raw and a cold type of food. (Yes, it also lowers immunity)
  • Reduce stress and get enough rest. (You guessed it, it also lowers the immune system)
  • Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
  • Exercise regularly even if it is only 15 minutes, consistency is the key.
In TCM the back of the neck is considered the wind gate and should be covered at all times.  When you are out in the cold environment it is best to cover up the neck and chest area. This is especially important if you are covered with sweat from exercising.  Cool down completely and bundle up before you head out to the cold environment. This preventive measure only takes a second but a cold will last you a week or more. 

When your pores are open from sweating, the wind and cold can seep into the open pores. The first sign of cold can start with neck ache or body ache and that is because of the wind lodged into the muscles causing tightness and achy-ness.  This is called wind-cold (note: use the sweating method explained below).  Another sign of a cold is wind-heat.  The first symptom is a sore throat.  A wind-heat type of cold actually starts with a wind-cold but it transform so quickly that you may not feel the cold come on and the next thing you know it turns into a heat-cold. The herbal formula Yin Qiao San is great for sore throat type of colds and it has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
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If you contracted a cold immediately take some Yin Qiao San or Gan Mao Ling every couple of hours for at least 12-24 hours to fight off the cold. You can continue to take it until the cold is completely gone. 

Sweating method:Another thing you can do which it very effective is bundle up with many layers of clothing and wear gloves and thick socks to sweat out the cold along with taking the above cold remedies. Tip: There is only a very small window of opportunity (within a few hours of realizing you have a cold) to sweat out the cold. So when you feel it coming on bundle up and drink lots of hot liquid. If you miss this window of opportunity, unfortunately you will have to ride out the cold, but taking these remedies will help shorten the cold and help you feel better.
Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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Benefits of tea

10/15/2014

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There is a lot to know about tea such as varieties of tea, the region where it is grown, and how it was
processed.  This will determine the quality and the taste among other things.  Today let’s just talk about the types of tea we consumed most and the benefits of tea.
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The most consumed teas are green, white, and black such as oolong and Pu-Er.  My personal favorite is chrysanthemum herbal tea.  Tea not only has a ton of antioxidants that are good for you but it has a good amount of caffeine and does not cause you to crash like coffee.

The level of oxidation of the leaves determines the type of tea such as black, white, and green which comes from the Camellia Sinensis bush.

Black tea such as oolong is fully fermented. Pu-Er is partially fermented and green is unfermented or less oxidized, therefore, it retains a higher level of antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.

Did you know that tea is cooling for the body? I don’t mean the temperature, but the property of the tea. In TCM, properties of herbs and food are often mentioned and tea is also considered an herbal remedy. Most of us tend to have heat due to lifestyle, stress, and the types of food we eat.  Consuming tea is very beneficial to cool down the over-heated organs.  For example, a UTI, insomnia, and nightmares means you have heat either in your stomach, heart, and/or gallbladder, or possibly other organs. 
Most people consume too much coffee which is very heating and not to mention it can dehydrate your body and be very addictive.  One tends to crash after a few hours of consuming it so you need more coffee to get going.  If you have caffeine too late it can cause insomnia. A rule of thumb is do not consume caffeine after 2PM. 

Studies show consuming 2-3 cups of green tea a day can provide a healthy dose of caffeine.  It will also provide you with the antioxidant and beneficial properties such as; weight loss, reducing cholesterol,  and preventing heart disease to name a few.
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Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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'tis the season to talk Liver!

9/17/2014

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You may remember, back in July we began exploring the organs, and we started with the Liver.

Well we've come full circle, and we're going to dig in a little deeper this time! 

"Liver qi possesses the function of regulation. It is responsible for the ascending, descending, and harmony of bodily qi."

Woah. The Liver has a big responsibility! So let's start with a few symptoms to recognize when your Liver qi needs attention: 
- Anger or irritability
- Emotional "stuckness" 
- Tenderness around ribs
- Pain along sides 
- Sigh often

In the graphic to the right you can find ingredients that will nourish your Liver, assist in moving its qi, and relieve the aforementioned symptoms. 

Save the graphic, or print it to keep with your recipes. You can always substitute ingredients in a recipe with something from this list to make any meal a little more Liver happy! 

Be well. 

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Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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Self Massage for Kidney Health

9/13/2014

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According to TCM, the Kidney time is between 5 pm and 7 pm. This is the best time to rest and rejuvenate the Kidney Qi. One means of doing this is self massage, spend a few minutes giving gentle attention to the Kidney area.

First, underneath the diaphragm, on either side of the vertebrae [specifically between the T12 and L3 vertebrae, pictured to the right] massage the lower back. This is where the kidneys are situated. Do not use too much pressure or massage for a long period of time, the Kidneys are very delicate organs.  









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Second, where K27 ends is located in the depression on the border of the clavicle, 2 fingers from the center of the body on both sides of the chest. Massaging this point can rejuvenate Kidney energy. Most people will feel some tenderness in this area.
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Or third, the Kidneys can be nourished by massaging the soles of your feet, where K1 [Kidney channel] begins, pictured below. Read more here! 
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Karen Chan received her Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009. 
4287 Piedmont Ave, Ste 106C, Oakland, CA 94611 || (510) 384-9226
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    Karen Chan

    Karen Chan received a Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from ACCHS in Oakland, California. 

    With a passion for preventative care and nutrition, she has been helping her clients in the East Bay to achieve a more balanced and healthy lifestyle since 2009.  Now she is also in Sacramento in the lovely East Sac area.

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