Wei Te Ling is a Chinese Medicine formula.  It strengthens the Stomach, relieves Stomach pain, reduces heat and inflammation, neutralizes acidity, and eases indigestion.  In Western Medicine it would be applicable for hyperacidity, gastric reflux, bloating, heartburn, flatulence, duodenal or gastric ulcers. 

Why does this formula work so well?  Wei Te Ling has for simple, but powerful ingredients that make it effective at healing the body.  Not only have I used this formula with my patients, but I have used it myself.  It’s amazing how quickly and effectively this formula works to heal digestive issues.

Ingredients

Hai Piao Xiao – Cuttlefish Bone

Yan Hu Suo – Corydalis Rhizome

Feng Mi – Honey

Tian Qi – Psuedo Ginseng

Formula Explanation

• Hai Piao Xiao

   Harmonizes the Stomach, promotes healing, stops uterine bleeding with vaginal

   Discharge, nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, leukorrhea (thick, white or yellow

   vaginal discharge), epigastric pain, acid reflux, diarrhea, dysentery.

• Yan Hu Suo

   Invigorates blood, alleviates pain, pain from blood stasis and trauma, dysmenorrhea,

   chest pain, menstrual pain, hernial disorders, epigastric pain.

• Feng Mi

   Harmonizes the Stomach, relieves pain, moistens intestines, clears toxins, dry cough,

   constipation.

• Tian Qi

   Stops bleeding, traumatic injuries, invigorates blood, vomiting blood, nosebleed, blood

   in urine or stool, alleviate pain, reduce swelling from falls, fracture, sprains, chest and

   abdominal pain, joint pain from blood stasis.  

For more information, please contact Dr Kerry Kott, DOM, LAc with HarmonyUs @ 813-375-2650.

**Always consult a health professional or your physician before taking any medication, or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement for a health problem.

Ever wonder why your tongue as teeth marks around the sides?

Teeth marks on the sides of your tongue is an indication of Spleen deficiency/nutritional deficiency.  It is very likely that your digestion is impaired and your body is having difficulties absorbing nutrients from foods you eat.

The Spleen has many functions in the body.  It works with the Stomach to digest and absorb nutrients from foods and transforms worn-out red blood cells into iron to build new blood.  It also plays a role in neutralizing unhealthy bacteria, therefore strengthening your body’s immune system.  So when teeth marks appear on your tongue, it is a sign that your Spleen isn’t strong enough to properly perform these functions in your body.

Common signs and symptoms that you are Spleen deficient include: poor appetite, bloating after a meal, fatigue especially after a meal, loose stools, undigested food in stools, borborygmus, difficulty maintaining attention and focus, heaviness of your four limbs and body, and over-thinking.

So what do you do if this is you?  Eat foods that nourish your Spleen! 

Try these herbs, spices and foods:

garlic, black pepper, ginger, cayenne pepper, ginseng, cinnamon, horseradish, dill seed, astragalus, parsley

aduki beans, mung beans, kidney beans

alfalfa, lychees, fennel

chicken, fish

yellow squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams, celery, parsnips, beetroot,  carrots, root vegetables, pumpkin

barley, millet, oats

leafy greens, algae, kale, chard

Your initial intake with Dr Kott will include a thorough exploration of your past and present medical history and concerns along with your birth history information.  It will also include examination of your tongue and a complete pulse diagnosis.  All of this gathered information will give your practitioner information that will help with your diagnosis and guide therapeutic intervention.

The purpose for an extensive initial treatment is to account for multiple factors that contribute to an individual’s medical condition.  By acquiring this information it helps your practitioner to understand the disease process from its inception and provided the best therapeutic intervention.

For Your First Visit:

Please bring all medications, supplements, and/or herbs you are taking.  (It is best to bring the actual bottle so your practitioner can read the labels.  Sometimes companies give their products their own names and alter ingredients.)

• Eat a moderate meal a couple hours before your appointment.  It is important NOT to come to your appointment hungry or overly full.  *Acupuncture is NOT performed on individuals who are fasting.

• Please do not brush your tongue the day of treatment.  Tongue examination is an important tool in Chinese Medicine diagnosis.  Brushing your tongue changes the information on your tongue.

• Avoid alcohol on the day of treatment.

• After treatment, DO NOT engage in any stimulating activities for at least 3 hours.  It is best to be able to stay relaxed, have a nourishing meal, and/or take a nap after treatment.  Engaging in physical activity or a high stress environment may disrupt the healing process of the treatment.

For Return Appointments:

• Make note of any emotional and/or physical changes since previous treatment (both positive and adverse).  Paying attention to your health changes helps your practitioner to know whether he/she is on the right path to helping your body heal.

• Eat a moderate meal a couple hours before your appointment.  It is important NOT to come to your appointment hungry or overly full.  *Acupuncture is NOT performed on individuals who are fasting.

• Please do not brush your tongue the day of treatment.  Tongue examination is an important tool in Chinese Medicine diagnosis.  Brushing your tongue changes the information on your tongue.

• Avoid alcohol on the day of treatment.

• After treatment, DO NOT engage in any stimulating activities for at least 3 hours.  It is best to be able to stay relaxed, have a nourishing meal, and/or take a nap after treatment.  Engaging in physical activity or a high stress environment may

Cordyceps (Caterpillar Fungus) is known in China for nearly 2,000 years as an aphrodisiac.  It is known to replenish sperm and relieve impotence.  Clinical trials on both men and women with reduced libido showed 66% improvement of symptoms and desires.  Modern studies on Cordyceps shows possibility in improving infertility as well.  In a male study it has shown to increase sperm count, decrease sperm malformation, and increase survival rate after 8 weeks of supplementation.

Cordyceps is also useful for:

* Improving auto-immune system.
* Protecting the Kidneys from toxins.
* Protecting the Kidneys from exhaustion.
* Protecting the Liver from toxins & treats & prevents cirrhosis of Liver.
* Protecting the Heart from the damaging effect of ouabain (C29H44O12.8H2O).
* Anti-arrhythmia.
* Anti-rejection effect in cornea transplant.
* Antibiotic effect.
* Inhibiting contraction of smooth muscles.

By Laura Drago

http://acutakehealth.com/the-4-things-every-acupuncturist-wants-to-know-about-you

Have you seen that commercial with doctors doing “non-doctor” jobs? It’s airing a lot lately in Los Angeles, where I live and practice acupuncture. It’s an ad for the heartburn drug Nexium. The implication is that, just like a doctor attempting to play the violin, regular non-doctor people are unqualified to self diagnose and treat their own health problems.

While there is some truth to this, particularly in regard to medications, I disagree that we must always defer to doctors. We can become experts on our own health.

Given the onslaught of medical information bombarding our daily lives, it’s hard to know where to focus when examining our states of health. By creating a barometer for gauging our own symptoms, we develop a clearer understanding of our physical and emotional health. We’re able to discern between feeling slightly off and feeling really off.

The Four Pillars of Health

The following four health indicators—the building blocks of that barometer we want to create—will be familiar to anyone who has had acupuncture. Almost every acupuncturist asks about them as part of their intake and diagnostic process.

From an acupuncture perspective, these are the four pillars of health:

Food

You really are what you eat, according to acupuncture. Dietary habits can contribute significantly to how you feel. If your body is not being properly nourished on a regular basis, it’s going to face an uphill battle when trying to heal itself.

Here are some questions to ask yourself: Do you have a big or small appetite? How often do you eat every day? What do you eat every day? Do you have cravings? If yes, when and for what? How do you feel before and after you eat?

Sleep

Insomnia is rampant in our society. It is one of the most common complaints seen by acupuncturists. Some people have grown so accustomed to not sleeping well that they no longer consider it a problem worth mentioning. But difficulty falling or staying asleep can severely impact quality of life and overall health.

Ask yourself these questions: Are you able to fall asleep easily? Do you stay asleep? If you wake up, why? When? Do you feel rested when you wake up in the morning? Do you have pain, phlegm or other issues upon waking? Do you dream regularly? Are these dreams disruptive or disturbing to your sleep?

Poop

Questions about bowel movements, even within a healthcare setting, are often met with discomfort or surprise. But elimination is a critical measure of how a person’s whole system is functioning. This is why acupuncturists love talking about poop!

So be brave and ponder the following questions: How often do you have a bowel movement? What time of day does it normally occur? Is there a strong odor to your bowel movements? Are your stools loose, formed, hard, soft, discolored? Is there pus, blood or undigested food in your stool? Do you feel depleted after having a bowel movement?

Energy

Energy levels naturally shift throughout the day, the seasons, and through whatever circumstances you’re dealing with. But generally speaking, most of us fall somewhere specific on the continuum. This is an important factor to consider when analyzing physical symptoms or mood changes.

Think about these questions concerning energy level: In general, are you a high, medium or low energy person? Do you typically experience a dip in energy at any point throughout the day? What are your best and worst times of day for energy level? Is there a difference between your physical and emotional energy level? Do your emotions affect your energy positively or negatively?

What Do I Do With This Information?

A complete picture of health is comprised of more than just these four areas. However, they are a solid place to start, a reference point that can lend perspective to how we’re feeling.

So, just start paying attention. Ask yourself the above questions on a fairly regular basis so that you notice patterns and changes when they develop. The point is not to judge your responses but rather to become an astute observer.

By being in touch with our own definitions of “normal” according to these basic building blocks, we’re able to ask better questions—of ourselves and our healthcare providers—and draw more detailed conclusions.

Doctors, while wise informants in so many cases, are not the bosses of our bodies. With trained focus on the four pillars of health, we can play more active roles in understanding and addressing our unique health concerns.

   A. Choosing the people with whom one is to associate. One should
associate with people who will guide one’s life along a path that is
prosperous and constructive, by avoiding false friends and associating
only with true friends as follows:
1. Recognizing the four kinds of false friends or enemies in the guise of
friends (mittapañiråpaka):
1) The out-and-out robber, who only takes from his friend, has four features
(1) He thinks only of taking.
(2) He gives just a little only to gain a lot.
(3) Only when he himself is in danger does he help his friend out.
(4) He associates with his friend only for his own sake.
2) The smooth talker has four features:
(1) He talks only of what is done and gone.
(2) He talks only of what has not yet come.
(3) He offers help that is of no use.
(4) When his friend has some business in hand, he always makes excuses.
3) The flatterer has four features:
(1) He consents to [his friend’s] doing wrong.
(2) He consents to his doing right.
(3) He praises him to his face.

(4) He disparages him behind his back.

4) The leader to ruin has four features:
(1) He is a companion in drinking.
(2) He is a companion in nightlife.
(3) He is a companion in frequenting shows and fairs.
(4) He is a companion in gambling.
2. Knowing of the four kinds of true friends or friends at heart
(suhadamitta):

It’s Spring Time!! Don’t just Spring Clean your closet and draws, Spring Clean your life! Junk draws aren’t just a place in your home.

Reevaluate goals, attitudes, boundaries, friends, lovers, etc and decide if they coincide with positivity and growth.

In Chinese Medicine Spring Time is in reflection of the Wood Element and flourishes this time of year. If you have strong Wood Energy you will have a clear vision and goals, and be able to bring them into being. If your Wood Energy is weak you may be feeling irritable, frustrated, indecisive, or stuck in life. Nobody likes not being able to express their emotions, make life decisions, or think clearly.

Work on strengthening your Wood Energy and Spring Clean your life!!!

Narcissism: Inside the Lonely, Envious World of the ‘Perfect Ones’

March 13th, 2013
By Lynn Somerstein, PhD, RYT, Object Relations Topic Expert Contributor

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Healthy narcissism is an accurate picture of the self properly valued, without shame and without overblown estimations. But most of the time when we talk about narcissism we’re thinking about the other kind, where the person thinks he or she is perfect in every way; you are just the opposite, a total loser, and the “Perfect One” is an expert at making sure you feel that way. Now, I’m not saying this is a plot, something done on purpose. It can be unconscious, but that doesn’t make it easier to live with.

Everyone knows a Perfect One, and might even admire the person a little. Perfect Ones are always in the know, or seem to be, but what they know best is how to take the bad feelings they have about themselves and shovel them onto whoever is around and ready to accept them. They lower your feelings about yourself so they can feel better. Putting you down raises them up. And if you’re lacking in self-confidence, you’re their perfect companion.

Could that be you? If you’re self-confident and aware of your abilities, taking credit when it’s coming to you should be a pleasure. But if you lack self-confidence, accepting a compliment can be pretty hard. Instead of feeling good, you may even feel ashamed. How come? And can you do anything about it? If you sometimes react with feelings of discomfort or shame when you’ve done something really well and been told about it, you may be responding to early feelings of worthlessnessthat were part of faulty family situations. Maybe your parents lacked self-esteem, too, and passed that on to you, or maybe you’re related to a Perfect One who trained you to be his or her audience, or perhaps you endured bullying in school. Perfect Ones make good bullies.

It could be that when you were a kid you were subjected to the envious feelings of others, so every time someone tells you something good about yourself you don’t believe it, or you expect something bad to happen, because that’s how you’ve been trained, so you’d rather put the spotlight on someone else, and who better than a Perfect One? Perfect Ones expect all compliments to come their way. If this applies to you, try to figure out who around you might be part of the problem. You can talk to them about it, but—even better—you can talk to yourself about it, remembering that what Perfect Ones are saying has more to do with their own feelings about themselves than about you. In fact, if you listen to the negative things they say, you’ll learn a lot about their secret, shameful feelings about themselves, proving that, deep down, they know they’re not really perfect after all.

Shame and narcissism are fellow travelers, a continuum of feelings about the self. Picture a seesaw with shame on the bottom and narcissism on the top. Envy accompanies the up-and-down actions of the seesaw. Perfect Ones feel envy all the time, and process that feeling by making others feel envious so Perfect One can feel superior. Perfect Ones’ feelings of superiority go with the expectation that they are better than everybody else and deserve favorable treatment in the world. They use others to get what they want, they believe they have it coming, and when they don’t get what they think they deserve they react with intense anger, called narcissistic rage. Perfect Ones don’t see others as equals; they see others as tools. Their internal feelings about themselves are unsteady, and they have to work hard to keep feeling good.

We’ve been talking about a make-believe person called Perfect One. The use of the word “one” is important here. Think ONE. A universe of one, where Perfect Ones want YOU to love THEM, but they are not capable of loving you or anyone else back. It’s a pretty cold world when you are the only Perfect One. If you’ve spent any time with Perfect Ones, you may have felt very lonely. Inside, the Perfect Ones feel lonely too, because no one is good enough to share their world. You might feel sorry for them, but don’t let the Perfect Ones take advantage of your ability to feel for others. Perfect Ones are expert manipulators.

After you have learned the game and how it’s played, you can stop playing with Perfect Ones and find humans who aren’t perfect but play fair. You’ll have a better time all around.

Remember my image of the seesaw? Perfect One on top? Well, Perfect One will fall down with a thud when you get off the seesaw. And then you can get back on and come to a good balance with someone else.