Now as the holiday season is drawing to a close, some of us are regretting that extra slice of turkey at the Christmas Eve dinner, the chocolate cookies on Christmas morning, or that extra scoop of trifle at your friend’s New Year party. So what is the cure for indigestion and overeating? Ling will share how she maintains a healthy digestive system during the Holidays:
Traditional Chinese Medicine has an emphasis on the digestive system since it provides nutrients for all your organs. Most people know to avoid fatty greasy food, to eat in moderation, and to drink plenty of warm digestive teas to aid digestion. I’ll go into detail as to how you can repair the damage done during the holidays and regenerate your digestive system for the new year with these 6 points.
1) Digestive Teas:
It’s pretty simple. You will see most Chinese Restaurants serving Oolong or Pu’er tea which aid in breaking down a fatty meal, in helping absorb nutrients, and alleviating bloating after eating. Studies had shown that Pu’er (a fermented tea in Yun Nan Province of China) can lower your overall cholesterol and benefit cardiovascular health. Ginger and turmeric tea can help warm stomach and reduce acid reflux since it has anti-inflammatory effect. Peppermint tea can relax the smooth muscles of your digestive track and benefit those suffering from IBS, bloating, and indigestion. There are many other great teas there that can aid in digestion, it’s just a matter of finding the right one that’s fits your body constitution and is pleasing to your taste buds.
2) Foods:
Of course, reducing calorie intake during and after the holidays season is of paramount importance. Everyone knows to eat leafy greens, whole grains, and fibers to cleanse your digestive track and ensure you are not constipated. Hawthorn berries is a favorite snack of mine which I love to eat during the holidays. You can eat them fresh or dried and buy hawthorn berry products at your local grocery store. As a kid, I loved to eat Hawthorn berry candies - a fantastic home remedy for children with indigestion. Another vegetable that Chinese people like to eat is Daikon (or White Radish). We use it in meat soups, vegetable stir fry, and even in dumplings. It is very low on calories but high in nutrition value. Pickled Daikon is even better to aid in digestion. Just marinate the peeled and diced daikon in vinegar with salt and sugar; and you get a tasty appetizer for yourself. However, be warned that eating a lot of Daikon can make you quite gassy, so avoid having it before you show up an important meeting. Proper amounts of fruits such as apple, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, can also aid in digestion.
3) Exercise:
It is very important to take a slow walk after a heavy meal, so you stimulate your internal digestive tract and burn off the calories that you just ate. For patients who are diabetics, I recommend gentle exercise after eating instead of on an empty stomach. The reason being is: I don’t want the patient’s blood sugar to fluctuate too much. If they were to exercise before a meal then their blood sugar could drop too low which can be dangerous, and their blood sugar would spike again after a meal.
4) Acupressure/Massage:
Rubbing your abdomen 21 times in a clockwise direction can aid in digestion by moving the intestines around and stimulating the deeper muscles. There are also acupuncture points on the legs that aid in digestion as well.
5) Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is great to treat many digestive issues, such as IBS, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, indigestion, abdominal pain, and bloating. The needles will stimulate blood flow to the muscles of the intestine, increase production of digestive enzyme, increase absorption of nutrients, etc. I myself have benefited greatly from acupuncture. During my university days, I suffered from IBS and saw many doctors to no avail. A family friend, an acupuncturist, gave me 3 treatments which rid me of digestive issues. It was this experience which sparked my passion for acupuncture; since then I have helped countless patients with digestive issues. Acupuncture can also stimulate one’s metabolism and increase the fat burning process. This is why it is one of the best treatments for people wanting to lose weight without the side effects of diet pills.
6) Chinese Herbs:
There are many herbs which can have a large positive impact on digestion, and can benefit patients with more severe digestive issues. However, do consult with a qualified licensed Chinese Herbalist or doctor to see which herbs are right for you. Usually when a patient consults me, I figure out the root cause of their illness or concern, and personalize an herb formula that targets the underlying cause to achieve the best result for the patient
Schedule a complementary consultation with Ling Li
Call: 604 -767-8119
E-mail: info@lingli-acupuncture.com