Dr. Alvita Soleil

Spring is Coming!

The seasonal planetary movements, the circle of time…. round and round they go. This continuous spiral of transformation invites us to engage, and reflect on the natural interplay of the dynamic earth’s cycle. Here in Hawaii where the clocks never change, where few birds migrate, and the grass is mostly green all year long, seasonal changes are not so obvious, and we have to look for subtle signs of Spring. Personally, I rejoice when I see the cherry trees dressed in their spring blossom colors. I know then Spring has officially announced its pending arrival.

Another indicator that marks the change of seasons is a significant astronomical phenomenon. On March 20th the Sun will cross directly over the Earth’s equator, and the day and night are approximately the same length. This moment occurs twice a year at the first day of Spring which is known as the Vernal Equinox, and the first day of Autumn, which is known as the Autumnal Equinox.

Spring is coming, bursting forth from the hibernating cocoon of winter, bringing the birth and rebirth of all nature, and of ourselves. In this renewal we celebrate our ability to shift our consciousness back into a place of active creativity and productivity. It is time when we act on the plans laid in the winter, start a new project, or simply implement a new health regimen. The feeling-good-natural-instinct to “spring clean” our home and cleanse our physical body answers our yearning to free the stagnant energy, and clear out the unwanted cobwebs in our lives.

Mixed feelings can arise in the month of February with Valentine’s Day …we often think of red roses, candy in heart- shaped boxes, and winged cherubs flying with arrows, and of course many emotions are being expressed on this day.   With the day of “LOVE” coming up, I feel the collective emotional heartbeats of my friends and patients.  Some are seeking the “ultimate” commercial expression of love – with anxious expectations.

Others are looking forward to express heart-felt feelings with genuine appreciation. The one’s that fly solo, the V day may remind them that they have yet to pair up!

Do you know that the origin of Valentine’s Day comes from the life and death of a Christian martyr?

Roman history states that in 260 AD, Claudius the Great in order to increase troops for his army forbid young men to marry, believing that single men made better soldiers.

However a temple priest name Valentine was quite romantic and wedded couples in secret. Soon he was caught, jailed, and  killed. The night before his execution, the priest wrote a farewell message to the daughter’s jailer and signed it affectionately “From Your Valentine.” The first valentine card was born!

What if collectively this February 14^th we re-establish a new relationship with the greatest and most powerful healing force known to man … LOVE!

What if we could dissolve any feelings of aloneness, emptiness and experience the tenderness of an open compassionate heart toward ourselves?  What about if we can clear up putrefying feelings between friends, partners, or family, and create a renewed connection, one that can endure the other 364 days?  What if we could feel like we’re in love EVERY DAY with our life?

Would you say that LOVE is truly the Mystery Energy for creating the most powerful transformation in our life and our world? I am not talking about the love fairy tale, saccharine kind of love, or pop-culture ideal of love, but a heart-centered intelligence that is grounded in oneness, expressed as joy, gratitude, and the glue that connects us together as one human family – the unconditional Love.

LOVE is as critical for the mind, body, and soul as oxygen. It is not negotiable.

In my 30+ years of clinical practice, I’m convinced that many of our human hearts are literally breaking because of being cut off from this omniscient, unconditional love.

Love is the most powerful remedy that heals

Emotionally, LOVE is one of the most pleasurable and desired feelings.

Remember a time when you felt loved, or loved someone else? How did you feel?   Where in your body did you feel it?

LOVE stimulates us, and makes us feel good and alive. Colors appears brighter, and sounds may seem sharper. We feel energized and we connect to life in a more meaningful way with renewed enthusiasm.

We feel more optimistic, expansive, and powerful. We simply feel happier!

This PRESENCE of LOVE is strongly associated with health, longevity and overall well-being, as there is no separation between the mind and the body.

Physically, LOVE boosts our health

LOVE may stimulate neurotransmitters, neuromodulators like oxytocin and biochemical compound such as endorphins referred to as the “love hormone”.  It may cause cardiac arteries and veins to relax and open, and have beneficial effects on the Immune System.

Would you agree with me that LOVE is the best antidepressant? The more love we feel, the less depress, and stress we experience. In addition a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, eating dark leafy greens, and taking deep breaths to oxygenate the blood is good for overall peak natural health.

Spiritually, LOVE permeates and is ever present in our world. It is “the Source” that is responsible for creating and bringing into our physical reality every event, condition, and circumstance that we experience as we journey through life.

Today I am being reminded that my actions not only impact myself, others, but the planet we live on. Love begins with ourselves, without self-love we cannot virtually know what true love is. Therefore taking the time to nurture ourselves teaches us to nurture life around us and promotes unity, and harmony that transmutes the old into the new.

February 14^th let’s celebrate the heart-center by recognizing the health of all aspects of our precious heart. On that day or every day,  when we connect authentically with each other, celebrate life and receive what is being offered what naturally arises is an impulse to unite, serve, love and share ourselves openly and gratefully.

Winter is upon us! Even in Hawaii we can still be receptive to the principles and philosophies of Traditional Oriental Medicine that reflect a connection to nature and a holistic attitude toward health. Each season presents the opportunity for growth and evolution into lasting vitality and wellness.

The winter season is about introspection, allowing us to slow down to a more reflective pace, to take a look at what we want to let go of, ways we can keep ourselves healthy, balanced, and build our energy reserves. It is the time to nourish the gestation of seeds planted in the fall, and also to prepare for the burst of new life in the spring.

According to Chinese Medicine, winter is a time to support the kidneys, urinary bladder, adrenal glands, ears, and hair through appropriate foods, tonics, and modalities.

We may also know too well, that during winter season we are more susceptible to Colds and Flus.

Prevention Tips:

Pay attention to early signs and symptoms of a cold or flu as you can help boost the immune system and fight the illness more quickly and effectively.

Consider eating winter foods: This includes beans of all kinds, lentils, split peas, root vegetables, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, winter squash,  lotus root, taro root, mushrooms, radishes, spinach, bell peppers of various colors, sweet corn, nuts and seeds, and various varieties of white, yellow, and orange (even red and purple) potatoes, including sweet potatoes and yams.

Traditional Chinese medicine, (TCM) teaches us that foods that are dark or “black” in color are important in winter because they nourish the “Yin.” Foods such as black beans, black sesame seeds, black lentils, dark seaweeds, and darkly colored vegetables are excellent.  Warm hearty soups and healthy lean meat and root vegetable stews, whole grains, and roasted nuts are also delicious.

Fruits to eat in the winter include pears, oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits, apples, bananas, blueberries, guava, dark and red grapes, apples, clemetines, cranberries, red grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, kumquats, passion fruit, persimmons, pomegranates and rhubarb.

Teas to drink are high in antioxidants such as black and green teas or ginger to warm up and improve digestion after a meal.

Do like the animals do: Slow down, gain a pound or two, and hibernate. Nature is telling us to get a little more rest, and to nourish ourselves.

Bundle up if it is cold:  This may seem like a no-brainer, keep warm and conserve your energy by dressing in layers.

Stay moderately active: Stretching, yoga, Tai Qi, Meditation, walking, or whatever feels good is beneficial as long as you don’t overdo it.

Keep your gut healthy: Consume foods that have natural probiotics (like yogurt, kefir, miso soup, cultured vegetables, sauerkraut), or take a high quality supplement.

Follow the sun’s lead: As the days get shorter, shift your sleep routine toward going to bed earlier and to allow your body more hours to rest and rejuvenate.

Reduce your stress, recharge your soul: Find a way to relax on a daily basis. Give yourself the extra time and space to be quiet, to be in nature or whatever is meaningful to you.

Make a Feel Good Menu especially for you: Take some time to brainstorm all the things you can do in winter that you enjoy, that feels indulgent, and makes you happy. Keep this list posted and draw from it to make your days more special and when you need a little extra pampering.

CLASSICAL SYMPTOMS OF COLD AND FLU

TCM classifies colds and flus into two primary categories, depending on whether the primary signs are more of heat or of cold. Once you have determined which version you have—cold or heat, you will be better able to treat yourself, or go see your practitioner.

Common cold signs include: a scratchy throat, sneezing, an achiness in your body or head, feeling unusually tired, a sensitivity to the wind or drafts, or even just not wanting to go outside without grabbing an extra layer of clothing. You may have fever/feeling hot, thirst, sweating, headache, painful sore throat, clear/yellow/green nasal discharge and an aversion to heat or feeling chilled, sneezing, and a stiff neck.

Flu symptoms: are usually more severe than cold symptoms and come on quickly. Symptoms of flu include sore throat, fever, chills and sweat,  headache, muscle aches and soreness, congestion, stuffy and runny nose,  cough,  very weak and fatigued for up to two or three weeks.

WINTER HOME HERBAL PHARMACY:

Supplements: Vitamin D. This sunshine vitamin can help with everything from depression to immunity.

Immune systems booster: Echinacea, medicinal mushrooms, Vitamin  C, Zinc, Garlic, Adaptogens such as astragalus, and ginseng improve the body resistance.

Cold and Flu herbal: Yin chao very good when taken at first sign of cold. Gan mao ling Tablet is excellent for cold and flu with symptoms of chills, fever, swollen lymph gland, sore throat.

Homeopathy: Oscillicoccinum is one of the common remedies for prevention and treatment of flu in the United States and Europe. It is a strong antiviral property, and is effective at the first onset of cold and flu.

Today, many people in the world observe various seasonal celebrations during the month of December. On the other end, in our busy world, we have forgotten to honor the cycles of nature, and our celebrations have become less about meaning and more about material concerns –creating holidays that can be both stressful and laden with unrealistic expectations.

Whether or not you follow a traditional religious observance such as Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice, this time of the year has close ties with the laws and cycles of our solar and planetary system.  We human beings are intrinsically interconnected with the Earth; we are an integral part of solar and planetary activity that affects us in visible or invisible ways. Heaven and Earth touch every aspect of our life.

The winter cycle is upon us now. On December 21 at 7.30 pm HST marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and the longest night of the year.  The sun begins anew its journey toward longer day of new growth and renewal. Celebrating the natural rhythm of life can help us feel more connected to the wisdom of nature, to Mother Earth, and to our ancestors. As nature retreats back to herself in winter, we too can find some quiet restful and reflecting time and perhaps surrender to our own inner light that guides us through the dark times like a beacon to remind us what is important.

I personally enjoy and celebrate seasonal natural cycles of life such as Winter Solstice. In ancient cultures Winter Solstice was a time of great celebration, for it meant the turning point of winter and the eventual return of spring. It is a time of balance and change. This celebration has been associated with the return of the Sun, hope, rebirth, renewal of the spirit, and the victory of the light over the darkness.

Reminders of how to Stay Healthy in the Holidays

Taking a holistic approach to caring for yourself this holiday season and throughout the year can really make a difference in your physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.

Love yourself: Identify what is important to you. Keep reminding yourself of it when facing a challenging situation. Develop or commit to a practice that connects you with the sense of “feeling good”, a place of refuge that can sustain you through hard times. Winter time is an excellent time to travel within, to nourish yourself, to reflect on the qualities of being you want to grow into, and a time to birth your dreams.

Deeper Connections: The holidays give many of us an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones, old friends, and community. It can give us the opportunity to deepen the sacred relationship with Mother Earth, and to bring meaning through understanding.

Take the focus off food: Instead of an indoor party with platters of treats, host an outdoor activity. Eat light, fruits and vegetables of the season. Eat warm and healthy, local food before you go to parties.

Get plenty of physical activity: When your schedule gets hectic, get creative.  Jump rope during TV commercials, dance in the kitchen or take a brisk walk. Yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong are also great stress relievers.

Get quality rest: In acupuncture theory during the winter months, we should be getting more sleep than the rest of the year. Our bodies are meant to change with the seasons as Winter brings fewer hours of sunlight so we adapt accordingly.

Acupuncture treatments:  Acupuncture significantly boosts your body’s immune system to help protect you against any potential foreign invaders like viruses, bacteria and fungi. Acupuncture is also very effective in relieving stress. Frequent hand washing also helps to keep microbes away.

Patent herbal formulas:  Are very effective in treating many types of cold and flu.  Yin Qiao San is excellent for predominantly sore throat and early sniffles. Use this formula only for a few days. Gan Mao Ling tablets with symptoms of chills, fever, swollen glands, and stiffness of upper back and neck.  Take also Vitamin C and Zinc to boost the immune.

The shared message of Christmas, the Solstice festivals, and Hanukkah, speak of a time to have good friends around, to do acts of simple kindness, share food and warmth, and tell stories around the fire. It is also a time of the year to prepare ourselves to surrender our inner shadows to the womb of winter, and be renewed by the seeds of Light that burn deep inside of us.

The common spirit of the Holy Days is the spirit of the heart, the love, the light that warms the heart and the soul, and allows us to soften, to transform and create new changes in our self, in our life and in our world.

Whatever tradition you chose to celebrate, may your holidays be filled with Light, Joy and Laughter in this most auspicious transformational journey that we call life.