Vegan Coconut Pancakes

30 Dec 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies

Healthy Christmas morning Breakfasts

Makes 10-12 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp baking soda

¾ cup light coconut milk
½ cup warm water
1 ½ Tbsp honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut or toasted coconut

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with toasted coconut to form thin batter.
Heat skillet with 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil (or use a griddle).
For each pancake, pour ¼ cup batter and spread with back of spoon into 4” diameter pancakes.
Cook until bubbles form 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip, cook 1 to 2 minutes, and transfer to oven to keep warm.

Based on Prevention magazine recipes in the July 2013 magazine.

Tendonitis: the injury that happens behind a computer

30 Dec 2015 Pain, Your Overall Health ,

What is Tendonitis?

It is the inflammation of the soft tissue specifically the muscle that connects to the bone.

What are the most common types of tendonitis?

Tennis Elbow
Golfer’s Elbow
Achilles Tendinitis
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
Swimmer’s Shoulder
Patella Tendinitis
Tendinitis of the Wrist

Why does Tendonitis occur?

It occurs when extra strain is placed on a joint, bone and muscle either slowly and respectively over time or all at once in a more traumatic injury way. It usually occurs in people over age 40 due to the decrease of the tendon’s ability to tolerate stress.

What are the common causes of tendonitis?

Gardening
Raking
Working on a computer for greater than 4 hours a day
Cleaning
Tennis
Golf
Throwing or pitching
Scrubbing
Incorrect Posture
Joint misalignment or abnormal joint length
Doing to much too soon on a tendon that isn’t used to a particular type of movement. (Weekend Warrior)
Occasionally due to infections
Inflammatory diseases like gout, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis

What are the symptoms of tendonitis?

Pain and loss of motion are the most common symptoms. Pain usually starts localized on the spot where the muscle attaches to the tendon and can radiate to other areas. The pain can either build up slowly or come on suddenly and severely.

How is tendonitis treated?

Rest the injured area
Ice the injured area
Seek chiropractic care – usually treated by adjusting the joint then performing the Graston Technique and cross fractionating the tendon.
Anti-inflammatory botanical medicine or over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (these can be topical or oral).
Corticosteroids injections are sometimes necessary.
In very rare cases surgery is necessary.

Houseplants that Make us Healthy

25 Mar 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies, Tips & Tricks, Your Overall Health , , ,

The air indoors, especially in the winter months can get a nasty build up of a wide variety of particles and gasses just from our daily lives. The American Lung Association voiced great concern that as a nation we have low-quality air and it can be connected with allergy problems and asthma.

One of the easiest ways to clean the air in your home or office is to add a few potted plants which scrub out pollutants naturally. (This is why our office has some wonderful living friends) The plants absorb the Carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, benzene and release a pure oxygen in return.

If you don’t have a green thumb – don’t worry, B.C. Wolverton Ph.D and author of the book, “How to Grow Fresh Air” states that the easiest plants to grow are also the best purifiers. Here is a short list to help you start purifying your air:

  • Snake plants or Mother-in-law’s tongue
  • Peace lily
  • English ivy
  • Gerbera Daisy
  • Dracaena
  • Spider plant
  • Philodendron
  • Ferns
  • Areca palm
  • Money Plant

So how many plants do you need to purify your house? Here is a rule of thumb tested by NASA, 1 house plant to every 100 feet of your home. But some research done by Kamal Meattle says you only need 3 plants; 1 in the living room, 1 in the bedroom and 1 in the kitchen.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) Pain and Dysfunction

25 Mar 2015 Pain, Your Overall Health ,

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) Pain and Dysfunction

85-90% of people will experience a TMJ-related symptom in their lifetime according to one study. Women tend to be affected more severely than men.

What is the TMJ?

The TMJ is the joint that allows you to open, close, and move your mouth from side to side. There is a small disc inside the joint for cushion that allows smooth movement. It involves a complex set of muscles which surround it, namely the temporalis, masseter, and pterygoids felt inside the mouth. Its proximity to the neck and ear make those two areas common sites for referred pain from the TMJ.

What are some complaints related to TMJ Dysfunction?

Headache
Ear Pain
Face pain on one side
TMJ pain with opening and closing the mouth
Joint sounds
Difficulty chewing
Ringing in the ear
Dizziness
Neck stiffness
Sinus congestion

What are some causes of TMJ Dysfunction?

Direct trauma to the joint
Whiplash
Arthritis
Significant dental issues

What are some signs of TMJ Dysfunction?

Local pain
Clicking or popping in the joint
Inability to open the mouth fully
Fatigue with chewing
Jaw locking
Grinding sounds with opening and closing the mouth

How is TMJ pain/dysfunction treated?

All the surrounding muscles will be evaluated and released with soft tissue therapy
A safe and gentle adjustment will be done with the Activator tool on the side of restriction
The neck will be evaluated and treated in a similar manner to relieve the stress it may put on the TMJ
If dental involvement is significant, we would refer to a dentist who specializes in TMJ problems
References:
Souza, Thomas. Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor: Protocols and Algorithms. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 4th edition (2009).

By: Dr. Eugenie Giasson-Gomez

Chrysanthemum Tea

23 Feb 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies

The Chrysanthemum is an extremely potent flower plant, cultivated by the Chinese for over 3,000 years and readily prescribed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners This trusted herb can heal a multitude of health complaints.

According to Chinese Herbal Medicine-Materia Medica, the indication for chrysanthemum is as follows:

  • Disperses wind, clears heat, which is effective when treating headaches and fever.
  • Clears the liver channel and the eyes – wind-heat in the liver channel which manifests with red, painful, dry eyes or excessive tearing, or yin deficiency of the kidneys and liver with floaters, blurry vision, or dizziness.

Chrysanthemum tea has Vitamin C which helps ease heaviness in the head during a cold and provides relief in sinusitis discomfort. This herbal tea also has antiviral properties and helps relieve congestion in the head which may be caused by a viral infection. The heaviness in the head could also be a bacterial pathogenic reaction.

It is also a natural coolant and helps in lowering the temperature of the body when suffering from fever or heat stroke. This herbal tea is also helpful in treating pimples and acne. It can also treat discomfort of high temperature such as headache, slight toothache and throbbing nerves in the gums.

You can buy organic chrysanthemum from an herbal shop or Whole Foods and add them into boiling water and let the mix steep for 3-5 mins. It is a easy remedy to keep at home and serves many benefits to our health!

Ankle Sprains

18 Feb 2015 Pain, Your Overall Health

How do ankle sprains usually happen?

It occurs with a twisting motion, most commonly with your toes pointed down and in. Some ways this can happen are as follows:
-Stepping on an uneven surface
-Landing on the outside of the heel
-Running with too much cross-over

What are signs of a sprain?

-Swelling, commonly on the outside of the ankle.
-Pain and difficulty putting weight on that foot.
If the pain is too great to bear weight at all, this is a sign of a fracture.

Which structures are most commonly affected?

In order of occurrence:
-Anterior talofibular ligament (aka ATFL)
-Calcaneofibular ligament
-Posterior talofibular ligament

How serious is it?

It depends on the grade of the sprain; which can be determined by the stability of the joint and how much pain is felt with walking. The grading system is as follows:
Grade 1: Slight tearing of the ligament with mild swelling and stiffness. There is mild pain with walking.
Grade 2: The tearing of the ligament is more severe but incomplete. There is less stability and moderate swelling and discoloration. Walking is painful.
Grade 3: A complete tear of the ligament with severe swelling and bruising. The ankle is unstable and cannot support walking. The pain is intense, especially when the ankle gives way under the persons full weight bearing on the ankle. This injury requires medical attention and surgery.

What are the possible complications?

Fracture of the talus
Fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal
Dislocation of the peroneal tendons
Bifurcate ligament sprains
Achilles tendon injury
Ankle injuries are extremely common but fractures are found in only 15% of cases.

What is the quickest road to recovery?

Until the swelling has gone down:
Avoid full weight bearing. If it is a Grade 2 sprain, use crutches only for the first 1-3 days. Toe touching with crutch use will improve recovery time.
Ice three to five times a day for 20 minutes with an hour in between.
Rest, elevate, and compress the ankle.
See a chiropractor as soon as possible so that they may ensure that the bones in the foot are appropriately positioned to decrease undue stress on the ligaments and to speed the recovery.
Have the ankle braced with either a splint, a boot, or tape.

Once the swelling has decreased:
Wean off the crutches with gradual weight bearing.
Ice after activity

To avoid chronicity:
Before returning to activity, be sure that you are able to balance on one leg and hop on one leg without pain
Continue to ice after activity
Stretch prior to activities such as running and jogging

If chronicity does occur, do the above but also:
Tape for support before sport activities
Consider getting an orthotic fitting
Seek physical therapy

References:
Souza, Thomas. Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor: Protocols and Algorithms. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 4th edition (October 3, 2008).

Vietnamese Style Spring Rolls

18 Feb 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies

Ingredients:

2 ozs. rice vermicelli
8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
2 small fish fillets cooked
1 1/3 Tbsp chopped fresh Thai basil
3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 leaves lettuce, chopped
1 Avocado – in thin slices

Sauce

*Traditional or use Plain Soy sauce

4 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp garlic chili sauce
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes until al dente and then drain.
2. Fill a large bowl of warm water. Dip one rice wrapper into the hot water till all the paper is wet. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, lay a small amount of the vermicelli, basil, fish, mint, cilantro, avocado and lettuce.
3. Roll the wrap tightly around the ingredients beginning with one side and roll the other end. Repeat with all the remaining ingredients.
4. Mix the sauce ingredients all together and mix or pour soy sauce into a small bowl.

Recovery Herbal Chicken Soup

1 Feb 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies

This is classically what mothers cook for their daughters who just gave birth. The soup is very nourishing. It tonifies both blood and qi. It helps the body to recover faster after big events such as giving birth, athletic events or recovering from an illness. You can take it long term and eat it everyday. For postpartum, it is traditionally given for 40 days so new moms have the energy to produce breast milk and recover from childbirth.

Postpartum depression in Chinese Medicine in considered to be a function of blood loss. The ingredients in this soup work together harmoniously to give you more energy.

You find all the ingredients at an Asian supermarket. We have ready made packages also at our clinic that can be shipped directly to you.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 lb dried ginger
  • 1 gallon of rice wine
  • 2 gallons of water
  • 1-2 black chickens
  • 5 lbs. chicken bones or chicken feet (wrapped in cheesecloth)
  • 1 cup  dried red dates
  • 1/2 cup dried goji berries
  • 3/4 cup dried longan
  • 2 oz. dried snow fungus
  • 3 oz. black wood ear mushrooms

This recipe is adapted from Mama Tong Soup. If you live in the Bay Area, you can get ready made soup delivered to you via the Good Eggs community. Their website has beautiful pictures of ingredients and recipes:

http://mamatongsoup.com/recipes/#/herbal-chicken-soup/

-Yoevita

Turmeric

1 Feb 2015 Recipes & Home Remedies , ,

TurmericIn India, turmeric has been used traditionally for thousands of years. It is popular in culinary use throughout Asia for centuries and many of you may already know that this plant is one of the key ingredient of curries. But did you know turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both Chinese and Indian herbal medicine treatments?

Turmeric is slightly bitter with a warm and peppery flavor that has a rich orange color and is shaped like ginger. One of the key components in turmeric is curcumin which has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and acts as a strong antioxidant. Studies have shown insight into the mechanisms behind curcumin’s protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica and Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, in laboratory animal studies, turmeric has been shown to:

  • reduce blood lipids
  • improve blood circulation to the heart
  • lower blood pressure
  • reduce platelet aggregation
  • increase bile formation and secretion
  • reduce inflammation
  • alleviate pain
  • stimulate uterine contraction

Turmeric is especially effective when treating pain syndrome, including pain in the chest and hypochondriac region, amenorrhea with abdominal pain and injury pain. When patients have chest congestion due to stress or PMS for women before menses, herbal formula contains turmeric is used to relieve symptoms.

Here is quick way on how to prepare your own turmeric tea:

  • Boiling water
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tb of organic honey

JANUARYturmeric photo copyTumericmix them together and drink once a day and make sure your source of turmeric is organic.

Enjoy!JANUARYturmeric photo copy

Chiropractic care can help with knee pain

1 Feb 2015 Pain, Your Overall Health

Knee pain is very common among our population. It can occur from injury or medical conditions such as gout, arthritis and infection.

What are the common Knee injuries causes?

  1. Ignoring minor knee pain – tight muscles and inactivated (non-working)muscles can leave a knee open for injury and more serious injury.
  2. Excess weight – there is a body perfect weight for each person. Gaining just 20-30 lbs can cause increased knee pain.
  3. Not resting after a knee strain or injury. If the knee doesn’t have time to heal, it makes the body more vulnerable to injury.
  4. Lack of flexibility in muscles can lead to a strain or injury.

What are the Medical Conditions that cause knee pain?

  1. Gout
  2. Arthritis Degenerative and inflammatory issues
  3. Infection
  4. Chronic Muscle injury

What are the components that make up the knee?

  1. 2 meniscus
  2. Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Posterior Cruciate Ligament
  3. Median Cruciate Ligament and Lateral Cruciate Ligament
  4. Femur, Fibular head and Tibial Head
  5. Quadriceps muscle, Hamstring, Groin Muscles, Anterior Shin muscles and Calf muscles
  6. Iliotibial Band (IT Band)
  7. Associated nerves and arteries

What are the symptoms of knee pain?

This may sound like a redundant question but when you think about the issues that make up pain, it is usually more than just pain itself. Look for the following symptoms to identify issues in your knee:

  1. Swelling
  2. Tight muscles
  3. Decreased range of motion
  4. Redness
  5. Palpable increase in temperature when feeling the knee
  6. Clicking or popping sounds that are accompanied with discomfort or pain
  7. Weakness or feeling like the knee will collapse

What are the red flags in knee pain or discomfort that alert you to go seek medical care?

  1. Swelling or increased temperature felt on the knee
  2. Weakness
  3. Inability to extend the knee
  4. Cannot bear weight on the Knee
  5. Deformity in the knee
  6. Muscle tension and Pain lasting greater than 10 days
  7. Knee pain following a fall or trauma

What are the Treatments for knee pain?

  1. Surgery if a meniscus, ligament or muscle is torn
  2. Physical Medicine: chiropractic treatment or physical therapy
  3. Massage for a muscle tension and help with injury recovery

In our office, we use manual adjustments and the Graston Technique to treat the ligaments and tendons, which is a good solution when surgery isn’t the best option.

The treatment duration takes several days to weeks with some rest and exercise strongly recommended.

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