All Ways Well - Acupuncture & Wellness in La Center
  • Home
  • Book Now!
  • Blog
  • About
    • Covid19 Information for Patients
    • About Rebecca
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine - Ancient Methods for Modern Times
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
    • Pricing
    • Medicare Chronic Low Back Pain Acupuncture Benefit at All Ways Well
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
    • Chinese Herbal Treatment
    • Virtual Fullscript Dispensary
    • DAO Labs - Order online!
    • Rasa Adaptogen Tea - order now!
    • Auto Accident Acupuncture
    • Gift Certificates
  • Resources For Patients
    • Food Allergies & Elimination Diets
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Amazon Store
  • Contact

Going Deeper: The Kidneys

12/21/2016

Comments

 
Picture
The organs in Chinese medicine are more than just a physical representation. The organs include not only their physiological function, but also mental, emotional, spiritual and elemental qualities that align with nature and the seasons. The Kidney is something I feel like I talk to ALL my patients about for their long term health and wellness, so let’s explore the kidneys today!

The kidney element in Chinese medicine governs water and is associated with the season of winter, where the energies are turning from the hotter yang months to the more yin of winter. Each organ has an element associated with it: liver and wood, stomach and earth, kidney and water, for example. There is also an emotion, a color and flavor associated with the organ system. For the kidneys, the emotion is fear, the color is dark or black and the flavor is salty. It also opens to the ear, has the direction of north and is paired with the bladder. The kidney element houses willpower and manifests in the teeth and luster of the hair.

The kidneys are the body’s root and contain both yin and yang energies. Yin is associated with what is dark, still, cold, feminine and is inward. Yang is more outward, hot, bright, moving and masculine. The kidneys control reproduction, growth and development and are associated with bones and marrow. The kidneys are said to store jing, which is likened to essence, what you’re born with and what’s inherited from your parents. 

There are two types of essence:  

1.Pre-natal is from your parents and can be likened to one’s basic constitution and DNA. 

2. Post-natal is what is transformed from the food you eat and lifestyle. 

The second you have more control over health-wise. Ideally, there is a nice balance of kidney yin and yang energies, but if there is yin deficiency, there will be symptoms such as heat, sweating, dryness, irritability, insomnia and low back pain. If there is yang deficiency there are more cold signs such as cold extremities, cold and painful lower back, increased urinary frequency, fatigue, premature greying, water retention and low libido. There can also be an emotional component manifesting as increased phobias and anxieties. Many of the above mentioned symptoms can be tied to the thyroid and adrenal fatigue in Western medicine.

How to care for your kidney this winter:

Keep warm: The kidneys are affected by exposure to cold. Try a nice scarf to protect your neck from the elements, and keep your feet and low back warm in those frosty winter months. Moxibustion, which is heated mugwort, is a wonderful supplement to acupuncture that warms particular acupuncture points on the body.

Eat warm: Foods that are beneficial to the kidneys (in moderation) tend to be dark in color such as black beans, sesame seeds, seaweed, kelp, lamb and beef. Other beneficial warming foods include ginger, cinnamon, miso soup, soybeans, walnuts, chives and Goji berries. It’s best to see your acupuncturist or other health care professional to get an idea of foods that are good for your particular constitution, as some of these foods can be harmful if taken in large amounts (kelp and seaweed, in particular). It’s also best to not eat too many cold, raw vegetables or cold smoothies. Also try to ingest food and drink at room temperature. There are wonderful herbal formulas to assist the kidneys that your acupuncturist can include in your treatment plan.

Light exercise: Light exercise such as tai qi, qi gong or walking has wonderful health and anti-aging benefits and won’t cause exhaustion.

Avoid overwork, overexertion, high stress: Overdoing it depletes your kidney energy, and you might experience ill effects of burnout that are usually associated with adrenal fatigue. Ancient Chinese medical texts also recommend curbing excessive sexual activity to keep kidney energy strong and vibrant and to increase longevity.

So if you want a tune up for YOUR Kidney's this winter (highly recommended!!) go ahead and book in or call today!

Book Now!
Comments
    Book Now!

    RSS Feed

    Authors

    Rebecca M H Kitzerow is a Licensed Acupuncturist practicing in La Center, Washington. With over a decade of experience she has won 10 Nattie consumer choice awards from Natural Awakenings Magazine since 2014.

    Rebecca practices a variety of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques including Tan Acupuncture, Kiiko style Japanese Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Remedies, Cosmetic Acupuncture, Foot Reflexology, Cupping and Gua Sha. Rebecca strives to help people Be Well and Stay Well in every way.

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Acupuncture
    Affordable Care Act/Obamacare
    All Ways Wellness
    All-ways-wellness
    All Ways Well News And Updates
    Antiaging
    Anti Aging
    Archive
    Arthritis
    Car Accident
    Chinese-herbs
    Chinese-herbs
    Diet And Nutrition
    Diet-and-nutrition
    Digestive
    Electro Acupuncture
    Facial-rejuvenation
    Fertility
    Find Your Well
    Find-your-well
    Foot-reflexology
    Goodell Pt
    Healthcare
    Healthy Living
    Healthy-living
    Heart Health
    Herbs
    Infertility
    Intermittent Fasting
    Japanese-acupuncture
    Menstrual Irregularity
    Motor Vehicle Accident Treatment
    Mthfr
    Mva
    Newsupdates06fb9f432f
    Pain
    Physical Therapy
    Postpartum Recovery
    Preventative Medicine
    Preventative-medicine
    Psoriasis
    Psoriatic Arthritis
    Seasonal
    Stress
    Wellness

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Hey Paul Studios, BeGreen_Studio, Pawel Pacholec, 1950sUnlimited, toulupaliaqaz, Joelk75, OnTask, Robert Gourley, cnu_sports, Mitya Ku, FootMassagez, 401(K) 2013, Mariana Heinz, @EdwardTerry, fishhawk, liverpoolhls, torbakhopper, Boemski, dolomitibl, Driscolltheque, Dave n Laura, Vaping360, MVWorks, Life Mental Health, MVWorks, mikefats, Scot Nelson, jfl1066, wZa HK, ruurmo, Guadalupe Cervilla, Army Medicine, GViciano, torbakhopper, adrigu, Saulo Cruz, Ben Cumming, marniejoyce, kcxd, JasonCorey, kanenas.net, Live to Create Photography, gm.esthermax, Unique Hotels Group, Zenspa1, mysiana, Tobias Lindman, Leader Nancy Pelosi, Kristoffer Trolle, swanksalot, Bill Selak, Parker Knight, stimpsonjake, Gedankensprudler, SuperFantastic, tonynetone, marniejoyce, JeepersMedia, Illusive Photography, 'Ajnagraphy', Iban Torras, scotted400, gtall1, dvanzuijlekom, BPPrice, Skley, torbakhopper, Renato Ganoza, anka.albrecht, QUOI Media, Public Domain Photos, Instant Vantage, Victor Tongdee, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca, sportEX journals, Nadja Tatar, angela n., marniejoyce, MVWorks, Karolina Kabat, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT, ginnerobot, tracilawson, haven't the slightest, My Photo Journeys, Pierre Willemin, Florena_Presse, SuperFantastic, colindunn, zzkt, TraumaAndDissociation, ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd., marniejoyce, Tomás Fano, freestock.ca ♡ dare to share beauty, Archives New Zealand
  • Home
  • Book Now!
  • Blog
  • About
    • Covid19 Information for Patients
    • About Rebecca
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine - Ancient Methods for Modern Times
    • Testimonials
    • FAQ
    • Pricing
    • Medicare Chronic Low Back Pain Acupuncture Benefit at All Ways Well
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
    • Chinese Herbal Treatment
    • Virtual Fullscript Dispensary
    • DAO Labs - Order online!
    • Rasa Adaptogen Tea - order now!
    • Auto Accident Acupuncture
    • Gift Certificates
  • Resources For Patients
    • Food Allergies & Elimination Diets
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Amazon Store
  • Contact