In this issue
- Meditation: Calm the mind, rejuvenate the body
- Calcium: This important mineral abounds in non-dairy foods
- Recipe: Black Bean Soup
- Research Report: Acupuncture effective for menstrual pain
- Community Event: Boulder County Solar Week
- Free guided hike this Saturday with Eley Wellness!
Meditate to calm the mind and rejuvenate the body
Practicing meditation brings health and peace to mind, body and soul
This summer I participated in a 10-day Vipassana meditation course. It was one of the most challenging—and rewarding— things I've ever done. We were awakened by a gentle gong at 4:00 in the morning and practiced meditating about 8 to 10 hours each day. After all that sitting, my one-hour practice each morning is now quite easy in comparison, and is a valuable means for staying centered and positive in the midst of these uncertain times.
Vipassana, which means "to see things as they really are", is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It is a non-religious practice aimed at self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep connection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to physical sensations that continuously affect and condition the mind. It is an observation-based, self-exploratory journey to the common root of mind and body. In my experience, that journey brings a greater awareness of—and capacity to live in—the present moment, dissolving our self-inflicted patterns of suffering and resulting in a heart full of love and compassion.
Research has shown that during the slower Alpha and Theta brainwave patterns induced by meditation, production of the adrenal hormone DHEA increases significantly. DHEA is a precursor to virtually every hormone your body needs. It is a key determinant of biological age, which is how time has affected your organs and tissues compared to other people of your chronological age. It can also play a role in cardiovascular health, immunity and mood.
Conversely, the production of the adrenal hormone cortisol declines dramatically while the brain is in the Alpha and Theta states. Cortisol is a major stress and age-accelerating hormone. It interferes with learning and memory, and can lead to weight gain, hyper or hypo -functioning of immunity, and inflammatory conditions such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Deepak Chopra, MD, has said that meditation lowers biological age "by quieting the mind, which then quiets the body, and the less turbulent the body is, the more self-repair, healing mechanisms get amplified."
If you are interested in participating in a Vipassana meditation course, visit
dhamma.org. There is no charge for the courses, which include meals and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who have completed a course and want to give others the opportunity to benefit. All course staff are unpaid volunteers who also wish to help others experience the benefits of Vipassana. If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to
contact me.
If a 10-day course doesn't fit into your current schedule, you can learn
mindfulness meditation, a form of Buddhist meditation, at the
Boulder Shambhala center.
Free introductory classes and open meditation times:
Wednesdays: Free public meditation instruction from 5:00 - 5:45 pm
Sundays: Open house and beginning meditation instruction in the front parlor, no charge, 10:30am - noon
Sundays: Ongoing public meditation from 9 - 12 and 2 - 5pm
Monday - Friday: Ongoing public meditation in the Shambhala Training Hall 7:30 - 8:30am
and in the Main Shrine Room from 5:30 - 6:30pm
Wednesdays: Ongoing public meditation from 7 - 10pm
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Calcium abounds in non-dairy foods
Get plenty of this important mineral in vegetables, nuts, fish and grains
I'm constantly advising my patients to reduce or eliminate dairy products from their diet because of their tendency to create "dampness and stagnation" in the body, according to Chinese medicine. Some are concerned about getting enough calcium without drinking milk or eating cheese. Dairy products are high in protein and actually result in calcium loss from the body due to the acidity caused by protein metabolism. The cause of osteoporosis is not actually calcium deficiency but rather a highly acidic body. Countries eating high-protein diets also have the highest rates of osteoporosis. Countries eating diets lower in protein have lower osteoporosis rates. Vegetable sources of calcium don’t cause this leaching of calcium from the body. Of course protein is an essential part of our diet and is important for maintenance of our tissues and immune system. But as a nation we tend to overconsume it. Children, adolescents and pregnant women require more protein than the rest of us, however.
The following is a list of foods and the milligrams of calcium they contain per 3.5 ounce serving:
sardines 443
almonds 233
amaranth 222
parsley 203
turnip greens 191
sunflower seeds 174
garbanzo beens/chick peas 150
quinoa 141
black beans 135
pinto beans 135
kale 134
milk 119
collard greens 117
salmon 79
cottage cheese 60
Calcium inhibitors: coffee, soft drinks, and diuretics; exesses of protein; refined sugar or too much concentrated sweetener; alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes and other intoxicants; too little or too much excercise; tomatoes, eggplant and bell peppers, which contain the calcium inhibitor solanine.
(from Healing With Whole Foods, by Paul Pitchford)
To start getting more non-dairy calcium in your diet, try the Black Bean Soup recipe below, the Quinoa and Kale Soup recipe from my
October 2007 newsletter, the
Quinoa Tabouli recipe from my June 2008 newsletter, or the amaranth suggestions featured in my
April 2008 newsletter.
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Recipe: Black Bean Soup
A delicious, easy way to get calcium, iron and fiber
This fabulous Mexican-style soup features one of the healthiest foods you can eat: calcium-rich, cholesterol-lowering, high-fiber, heart-healthy black beans. According to Chinese nutritional medicine, black beans benefit the kidney energy, which plays an important role in our reproductive health; and are also good for kidney stones, urinary difficulty, hoarseness, and menopausal hot flashes.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 16-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 bunch scallions/green onions, sliced thinly
4 cups water
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Saute the onions over moderate heat until translucent, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the onion is lightly golden, another 3 or 4 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the scallions, along with the water, and bring to a simmer.
3. Mash some of the beans with a potato-masher, just enough to thicken the liquid base of the soup. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
4. Serve hot topped with chopped scallions.
Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Vegetarian Express, by Nava Atlas and Lillian Kayte
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Research Report: Acupuncture Eases Menstrual Pain
German study finds that acupuncture relieves pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps
Acupuncture can help relieve menstrual pain and improve the quality of life for some women according to a German study published in the
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology last February.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen/Advil, are standard treatment for menstrual pain, but they carry the risk of side effects. Acupuncture and acupressure have been found helpful in treating other types of pain, so the researchers tested whether acupuncture would help with dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain).
The 201 women who participated in the study were randomly assigned to acupuncture or no treatment. After three months of treatment, which included an average of about 10 sessions, 63.4 percent of women who received acupuncture reported at least a 33 percent improvement in their symptoms, while only 24 percent of women in the control group did.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that "acupuncture should be considered as a viable option in the management of these patients."
(Reuters Health eLine, February 26, 2008)
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Boulder County Solar Week
Workshops and solar home tours inspire and educate
Boulder County Solar Week is organized by the Center for Resource Conservation to inspire citizens and educate them how to save money and the planet by making homes more efficient. It includes a tour of solar homes and fun, informative workshops.
Solar Home Tour: Sunday, October 5th, 10am - 4pm
Expo & Registration: 9am - 1pm at the Center for Resource Conservation,
2639 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Workshops wil be held throughout the week at various locations in Boulder county:
Home Energy Improvements Made Easy
Solar Thermal - What You Need to Know
Photovoltaic (PV) Systems – What You Need to Know
Xeriscape Gardening – Tips from the Pros
Converting to Drip Irrigation – What You Need to Know
Financing Green – Understanding the Options
Building with ReSourced Materials – Tips from the Pros
The tour and workshops are $10 and you can
register online.
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Free Hike with Eley Wellness
What:
Guided hike on a trail with beautiful views of Flagstaff, Sanitas, Boulder and Indian Peaks.
Cost: FREE
When: Saturday, September 27th at 9:15 am
Where: Meet at Settler's Park (links to the Anenome Trail).
Directions: From Canyon and Broadway, follow Canyon west towards Nederland, pass the justice center at 6th street, and after you pass 5th and 4th street, look for Pearl Street on your right. Turn right on Pearl and turn left into the parking lot for Settler's Park. Additional parking is available up Canyon if lot is full. *If you are biking, there are bike racks near the trail head.
RSVP to fitness trainer Sarah Eley (or
for more information) 303-335-8598.
Thank you for reading and for sharing this with others. Remember to visit acupunctureboulder.com for new additions and changes, to request an appointment, or to read past issues of Acupuncture Boulder News!
Warmest Regards,
Robin
www.acupunctureboulder.com
Robin L. Schiesser, L.Ac.
2955 Valmont Rd., Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80301
(720) 320-1075
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