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Dietary Therapy

Leaky Gut Syndrome A Modern Epidemic

By Acupuncture, Clinical Perspectives , Dietary Therapy, East/West Integration, Herbal Medicine, Internal Medicine, Theory and Diagnosis

Antibiotics introduce a very cold environment into the digestive system. It depletes spleen yang and disrupts spleen-stomach harmony. This impairs digestion and absorption of food and fluids, and more important, depletes the qi necessary to maintain the integrity of the small intestine. The small intestine is controlled by the spleen. The spleen’s function of absorption and distribution of qi and fluid…

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Re-Establishing Optimal Health Postpartum

By Clinical Perspectives , Dietary Therapy, Herbal Medicine, Internal Medicine, Women's Health

During pregnancy, a woman’s blood volume almost doubles in order to support the placenta and the developing fetus.  The “work” of labor and delivery and blood loss further depletes the mother’s qi and blood.  And because breast milk is formed from the same substrate as blood, breastfeeding is comparable to a constant loss of blood.  For all these reasons, women are often qi and blood deficient postpartum…

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Chinese Herbs Containing Gluten and Potential Allergens

By Clinical Perspectives , Dietary Therapy, Herbal Medicine

Although not frequently noted in the Chinese materia medica, there are a few herbs containing gluten that may be problematic for patients with food sensitivities, and especially for those with celiac sprue. People with soy or nut allergies may also be advised to avoid certain herbs. As herbalists, our prescriptions must take into account the degree to which an individual patient seeks to avoid exposure to a certain food…

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Bone Broth for Health Building: Nourishing the Liver and Kidneys

By Dietary Therapy, Health Preservation

Winter is the ideal time for nourishing the Kidneys, and soup is the perfect winter food. Bone broth is prepared in cultures around the world as both a tasty, healthful soup and an easily digested medicinal food. The prolonged cooking of bones in water results in a broth rich in nutritional constituents that promote strength, tonify blood, nourish…

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The Art of Ginseng: Chicken Soups for All Seasons

By Dietary Therapy, Health Preservation, Herbal Medicine

While the various types of ginseng have key differences in terms of their nature and medicinal action, they share significant common ground. Overall, ginseng is regarded as an “adaptogen”; it consistently demonstrates a wide range of health benefits across a wide variety of parameters, and is well known for its enhancement of immune function, mental concentration, and exercise capacity. According…

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