Based on my training in Chinese Herbal Medicine, I humbly offer some resources for you and your families, to help mitigate the discomforts and weaknesses of the season. Although all preventive medicine must be individualized, general recommendations provide templates available for modification. I hope to outline a few templates here for you, provide recipes for inspiration, and give you a solid resource for prebiotic food options.
]]>Based on my training in Chinese Herbal Medicine, I humbly offer some resources for you and your families, to help mitigate the discomforts and weaknesses of the season. Although all preventive medicine must be individualized, general recommendations provide templates available for modification. I hope to give you some recipe inspiration for simple foods you can make to support your immune system and general health.
Healthy immune systems require the same basics as a generally healthy body. The basic goals are to reduce inflammation, provide nutrient-dense meals, and nourish positive feelings, while encouraging good habits like hydration and avoiding snacking (unless medically needed / current illness). Specific herbs and supplements can be emphasized for added benefit, and those are outlined in the next blog post.
1) Food: Basic principles: Increase prebiotic, fiber-rich foods, in cooked format if possible (recipes further down the article). Increase the amount of herbs and spices used when cooking (in a balanced way). For high-dairy or high-meat diets, decrease amount and frequency of dairy or meat. Create a set of minimally-processed snacks that fulfills your tastebuds quickly. Find a variety of organic teas that you enjoy. Don't eat too much of one thing every day (wheat, cheese, etc). Recognize that fermented foods can be very good, but can sometimes increase histamines and cause negative impact. Some people benefit from a low-histamine diet- if you react negatively to fermented foods, this is something to look into.
Although variety is really important in the diet, this variety can be had over multiple meals within a week. We don't need the entire food rainbow every day, although that would be nice. So work on identifying the colors of the food rainbow that you enjoy (or would like to try!), and then find a meal that features just one or two, such as sweet potato or red cabbage. It can cut down on food preparation time to rotate through simpler, fewer-ingredient dishes over the course of the week.
2) Mind-body: It's easy to worry. It's easy to "predict." Easy to feel shame or guilt. These things don't *feel* easy because they cause feedback cycles that impact the function of our bodies. But it can be more difficult to focus on positives when we feel the need to guard against danger, guard against shame, etc. The activation of our trauma response, vigilance, fear, worry, aggression, anxiety and similar can be necessary at times, but mostly hinder the body in times where the direct trauma has passed (or when the trauma is chronic). One way to counteract this is to observe and imagine what kind of setting or mindframe helps you enjoy your food. Or if that is impossible, try to imagine enjoying food. Then look around (in your imagination) and visualize what else you find enjoyable while you eat. Music? Quiet? Colors? Clear space? Warmth? Cool? Light?
Ideally, during meals we feel safe, heard/listened to, contented, and pleasantly stimulated. Are there aspects of the physical or mental-emotional environment around eating in your home that could be altered to align with these experiences of satisfaction? This may seem like a small thing in the face of broader problems such as pain, depression, and immune dysregulation, for example. However, the more comfortable of an environment in which we can experience our meals, the more benefit it can create in our bodies. We need to experience a predominantly parasympathetic mode of nervous system activation while eating and digesting (the "rest and digest" mode), and an actively sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) can directly impede the digestive function. This carries over into indigestion, insomnia, blood sugar imbalances, mood dysregulation, and more.
3) Movement: Walking, yoga/qigong/taiji/hiit reps at home, dancing, shaking body gently while bouncing, jumping jacks, jump rope, and all the traditional sports/gym options... just try something. Try different things until you find one or a few you like, and can do any time. "Drop and give me 10" power poses, squats, tiptoe flexes- it can be anything- randomly to increase energy throughout your day. Make it fun. Simply try something to engage a muscle group, gently, but regularly. *The exception to this advice is that during recovery from illness, it is really important to NOT over-exert yourself. Especially in the case of C19 or ME/CFS. In those cases, simple breathing exercises and maybe a small amount of mat stretches or holds are beneficial.*
4) Breathing: Humming, singing, chanting, and simply reading out loud for a few minutes dramatically can all help you breathe more deeply in a natural way without getting bored. Or you can try one of a large number of breathing exercises. James Nestor, author of Breath, has a great gallery of how-to breathing technique videos online.
5) Self massage: I will be creating an entire journal post about this, so I will link it when it is ready! Until then, I really love using the steamed herbal compresses to do abdominal self-massage, then use them on my shoulders and upper chest, and finally roll my feet on them.
Now I will go through the food component more thoroughly, and will follow up with a separate herbs and supplements post.
Prebiotic foods. They are a bit of a trend right now but you can learn more about them in this 2019 article in the peer-reviewed journal Foods. From the article:
Prebiotics play an important role in human health. They naturally exist in different dietary food products, including asparagus, sugar beet, garlic, chicory, onion, Jerusalem artichoke, wheat, honey, banana, barley, tomato, rye, soybean, human’s and cow’s milk, peas, beans, etc., and recently, seaweeds and microalgae [36]. Because of their low concentration in foods, they are manufactured on industrial large scales. Some of the prebiotics are produced by using lactose, sucrose, and starch as raw material [37,38]. Since most prebiotics are classified as GOS and FOS regarding industrial scale (Figure 1), there are many relevant studies on their production.
This chart summarizes many of the positive health effects of prebiotics, including improved immune system response and improved memory, among many benefits!
Prebiotics (FOS and GOS supplements) can be eaten via industrial production of supplements, but they can also comprise a fantastic and tasty part of a healthy diet. Prebiotic foods can be incorporated into nearly every meal, especially if you pick a few to always have on hand as snacks. They are most effective eaten raw. However, when cooked they still have an effect, and this may be the best way to start off if you have not been eating much fiber. Soups and sautees would be best in that case. Otherwise, snacking on fresh apples, berries, pears, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and a variety of seeds, are all great ways to encourage a healthy microbiome. Recipes to follow will be noted when they have high-prebiotic content.
Fruits: Apple, Avocado, Banana, Berries, Cherry, Kiwi, Mango, Olive, Pear, Plantain, Tomato
Vegetables: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory Root, Cucumber, Daikon Radish, Dandelion Greens, Fennel Bulb, Garlic, Heart of Palm, Jicama, Konjac Root, Leek, Mushrooms, Onion, Peas, Radish, Seaweed, Sweet Potato, Yam
Others: Chia Seed, Flax Seed, Pumpkin Seed, Hemp Seed, Legumes, Quinoa, Wild Rice, Coconut Flour, Dark Chocolate, Ginger Root
Foods high in Vitamin C are also important to include in your everyday life. This means cooking with and enjoying raw:
You can see that there is some overlap between prebiotic foods and high vitamin c foods, and that these are the foundation of some traditional diets! I cover a few different regional traditions which my family is partial to in this recipe list, but there are so many more. This is simply to give you an idea of the many options out there!
Recipes:
Savory soups (SE Asian style):
Chinese rice porridge/ Breakfast Congee with pork: Jok
Thai rice porridge with shrimp (can substitute other protein): Kao Tom Goong
(sidenote for khao tom: List of condiments includes: Small bowls soy sauce, small bowl fish sauce with hot chiles, small bowl chile paste/hot salsa, 3 Tbsp dried shrimp, coarsely chopped, 3 Tbsp Chinese pickled vegetables, 1/4 C packed fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup slivered ginger, 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots, 8 cloves garlic, minced and fried in peanut oil/veggie oil until golden brown, 1/4 C raw peanuts, dry-roasted. All of these have stellar and complementary nutritional values, so you can be sure to relish the flavor while knowing you are boosting your digestive and immune system! Follow your body's lead, but try different combos to elicit feedback or you will never know what you like.)
Taiwanese style superfood vegetarian soup stock (from Alford + Duguid's Seductions of Rice)- (can be used as a stand-alone, nourishing clear broth to accompany meals):
1 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1.5 pounds soy bean sprouts, thoroughly washed and drained, or 1 Cup dried soybeans or fava beans, soaked overnight in cold water
3 scallions, cut into 1" lengths
9 dried black mushrooms (approx. 1/2 oz, rinsed)
3 slices ginger (approx. size of a quarter)
8 C cold water
Heat the oil in a stockpot or other large pot and heat over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the sprouts or beans, scallions, mushrooms, and ginger and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sprouts have changed color and become somewhat translucent. Add the water, raise the heat, and bring to a vigorous boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 2 hours, partially covered. If using beans, skim them off and discard and foam during the first 10 minutes.
Pour the stock through a fine-meshed strainer or a colander lined with cheesecloth and placed over a large bowl. Discard the solids. Let the stock cool, then store, well sealed in glass containers in the refrigerator, or freeze in 2-cup plastic containers until needed. Taste and season the stock when you use it.
High-prebiotic, super simple radish sandwich: Radish Sandwich - This can also be created with very thinly sliced onion or cucumber in place of radish
High-prebiotic flavorful sandwiches, British high tea style: Afternoon Tea Sandwiches (Cucumber, Egg and Cress, Salmon and Onion)
High-prebiotic French style quick sandwich: Gloria's Sandwich, by Jaques Pepin (sweet onion, garlic, tomato, anchovy, mozzarella)
New Orleans style high-prebiotic vegetarian po boy: Crispy Cauliflower Po Boy by Love and Lemons
Delicious, prebiotic-rich vegetarian banh mi (Vietnamese): Banh Mi by Love and Lemons
Stir fried/ sauteed vegetable dishes:
These two dishes can be used as templates for stir frying and sauteeing vegetables.
Quick and Easy Chinese Greens
1/2 C chicken or veggie stock, unsalted, or water
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp peanut oil / vegetable oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3 scallions, cut in 1" lengths
1/2 inch ginger, peeled and minced
1 pound Chinese greens, cut into 3" lengths and thickest stalks cut lengthwise in half (can use bok choy, chinese broccoli or broccoli, chinese kale or kale, flat chinese cabbage, napa cabbage, pea shoots, watercress, lettuce, spinach or chinese spinach, water spinach, collard greens, etc)
2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water
In small bowl, mix together the stock, oyster sauce, wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Place by your stove, together with all the other ingredients.
Place a wok (or pan) over high heat. When it is hot, add oil. Let heat for 20 sec, then toss in the garlic, scallions, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the greens. Stir-fry for 1.5-2 min. Add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 min. Stir the cornstarch mixture, then add it to the wok and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 15 seconds.
Transfer to a small platter or large plate and serve hot, with rice.
Recipe from Seductions of Rice by Jeffrey Alford + Naomi Duguid, Copyright 1998, Artisan publishing.
Sauteed Haricots Verts and Shallots
This harmonious combination of green beans, shallots and butter is a winner. Try to get authentic haricots verts — thin, very young green beans — available in specialty food stores or at farmers' markets, or choose the smallest, firmest regular string beans you can find. Make sure to cook them fully; they should be tender, not crunchy. Too often beans are just blanched, and their taste is not what it should be.
1 pound haricots verts or very small string beans, tips removed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bring 1 1⁄2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the beans and cook, covered, over high heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until they are tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the beans and spread them on a large platter to cool.
At serving time, heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. When they are hot, add the shallots and saute for about 10 seconds. Add the beans, salt and pepper and saute for about 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Serve.
Recipe from Essential Pepin: More than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food by Jacques Pepin. Copyright 2011 by Jacques Pepin. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Quick, Fresh, Prebiotic Salads!
These are all Japanese recipes from the site Just One Cookbook. This website by author Namiko Chen is a wealth of simple, healthy recipes with numerous substitution options if the Japanese-specific ingredients cannot be found.
This style of prebiotic-rich salad preparation can be done ahead of time easily and stored for a few days in the fridge.
Daikon and Carrot Salad (Namasu)
Japanese Spinach Salad (Can use kale, chard, other greens too)
Hijiki Seaweed Salad (Can use other seaweeds like wakami too)
And from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat, a wonderful slaw:
Bright Cabbage Slaw
The richer the food you serve with it, the more acidic it should be.
1/2 medium head of red or green cabbage (about 1.5 pounds)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C lemon juice
salt
1/2 C coarsely chopped parsley leaves
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Quarter the cabbage through the core. Use a sharp knife to cut the core out at an angle. Thinly slice the cabbage crosswise and place in a colander set inside a large salad bowl. Season with two generous pinches of salt to help draw out water, toss the slices, and set aside.
In a small bowl, toss the sliced onion with the lemon juice and let sit 20 minutes to macerate. Set aside.
After 20 minutes, drain any water the cabbage may have given off (it's fine if there is nothing to drain off- sometimes cabbage isn't very watery). Place the cabbage in the bowl and add the parsley and the macerated onions (but not their lemony juices, yet). Dress the slaw with the vinegar and olive oil. Toss very well to combine.
Taste and adjust, adding the remaining macerating lemon juice and salt as needed. When you palate zings with pleasure, it's ready. Serve chilled or room temperature. Store leftover slaw covered, in the fridge, for up to two days.
See page 225 in Salt Fat Acid Heat for variations on this recipe.
Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad from the kitchen notebook of Farm to People, an innovative NYC farm-based food delivery company.
Best cooking ratios for grains- something simple and nutritious to go with a soup or veggie dish. From Samin Nosrat's book Salt Fat Acid Heat.
I will update this journal post with more recipes as I find especially great ones.
For those of you with an interest in eating healthy and delicious Chinese food according to principles of the five elements (and with guidance regarding common conditions like high cholesterol), you can find a great resource in Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen by Mika Ono, Yuan Wang, and Warren Sheir.
Find some of the recipes from the authors on their website here!
A great example is the lung health fritillaria pear recipe with honey:
Wishing you an excellent time finding new favorite, simple, nourishing recipes!
Comment below with other resources or favorite recipe links- I'm always looking for more inspiration!
Warmly,
Beth
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Now on to the travel journal:
Day 1.
I check into our hotel in a quiet area of Bangkok. It's early afternoon, and I take a moment to relax in the courtyard with a notebook and a coffee. As in so many places in Bangkok, the taxi had taken me from a major street, down a narrow alleyway, and stopped at a somewhat hidden entrance to this oasis of a hotel. My bag was brought up to my room while I wandered through the 70's vintage vibe of the entryway to the courtyard, which opened into a set of cafe tables and a raised platform with futons where people rested while eating or chatting. The entire place was full of plants, flowers, and the scent of baking from their commercial grade kitchen (which produced amazing croissants every morning).
I met the resident cat as well. In Thailand, cats are everywhere. Many family-owned hotels and boutique residences have cats around. They are all over the temples and streets, and people take care of them as neighborhood cats in addition to having their own. If you have a cat allergy, it will be important to know ahead of time to plan for this!
The first two guests arrived and I greeted them in the courtyard. We chatted and I brought them food from the cafe to help them restore their equilibrium after the long trip. After reviving our spirits, we took a rest in our individual rooms, agreeing to meet back in the courtyard to plan for dinner.
To stave off jet lag, and to get into the spirit of Bangkok, we walked down our small alleyway and found our way to a temple, Wat Bowon, which was closed but beautiful as the sun set. Sunset in Bangkok is around 6pm, so dinner often happens in the dark. We walked to a classic Khao Tom restaurant and ate a very typical Thai dinner, with fluffy rice, stir fried morning glory with garlic, duck soup, fried pork, and some other side dishes. It was all fresh and delicious.
Since we had energy left over, we took a short walk to Khao San Road, the famous tourist district that was known for its cheap backpacker accommodations in the 90s. Now it has grown into a more trendy area for Thai people to visit as well, and we just walked through to see the sights. After procuring some clothing, browsing a bookstore for interesting finds, and declining the roasted insects on display (although crickets are delicious in my opinion), we took a Tuk Tuk ride back to the hotel and crashed for the night! The photo is appropriately blurry as it was kind of a bumpy ride!
That evening, the third guest arrived, and I was in text communication with her, coordinating the airport taxi pickup from the hotel, for a later arrival than expected. She arrived at the hotel without incident and immediately got to rest.
Day 2.
This morning I woke up bright and early, and I procured some Jook / Kanom Jin from a cart in the alleyway outside our hotel, which was a pathway that people walked to work at the nearby primary school. Jook is the classic Thai breakfast food, which people will eat year round every morning as a healthful start to the day. It consists of rice porridge cooked in a broth (usually pork based, but some vegetarian versions exist), with thin sliced fresh ginger and scallions, an optional soft-boiled egg, and other condiments such as chili flakes, fish sauce, vinegar, or sugar. The condiments reflect the four key balancing elements of Thai food- spicy, salty, sour, and sweet.
By 9am the sun is already very bright, so we tried to get going as early as the jet lag allowed.
Temples require one to wear clothing that is modest and covers shoulders and knees. Masks, water, and cash in small denominations for temple donations are all important items to bring.
Parasols or hats can also be helpful, as there are many reflective surfaces that intensify the sun, although the grounds of Wat Pho also serve as herbal teaching gardens that provide shade and cooling vegetation along with an educational experience. The statues seen in these herb and stone features also show "Thai Yoga" poses, known in Thai as Reusi Dat Ton, a health-promoting physical movement practice. Because Wat Pho was a repository for scientific knowledge since its construction in the 17th century, including that of Thai Traditional Medicine, it is honored as a sacred temple as well as an important landmark of Thai history that remains highly relevant today.
Wat Pho (also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm), is one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok. It was first built before Bangkok was the capitol city of Thailand, as far back as 1688 AD. It was reconstructed at the end of the 18th century and completed in 1801 by King Rama I. Wat Pho is considered to be the first public university for religion, science, and literature. Since 1955 it has hosted a school for Thai Traditional Medicine and Massage, one of the first accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education, becoming the center of Thai massage education in Bangkok. This is where I practiced Reusi Dat Ton every morning before learning Thai Massage at the Wat Pho Chetawon School of TTM, back in 2012.
As we wander the grounds, we enjoy the poses of the statues. The QR codes in front of the statues and herbs led to corresponding webpages that provided the name of the pose or herb, health conditions it is used for, and common health benefits.
As we wake up from our massage, we slowly make our way to the Reclining Buddha, which is 15m high and 46m long. This pose represents the end of the cycle of reincarnation and entry into Nirvana.
We have all come from cooler climates with much less sun, so before we get to the medical pavilion we decide to head to the cool relief of a lunch meeting spot nearby. We are going to meet our translator, Jenny Ho, and visit River City, an antique mall and art gallery nearby.
We say farewell to Wat Pho, order a taxi via Grab, a trusted taxi app, and make our way to the pier to catch a riverboat to River City.
We strive to honor the history of Luk Prakob and Thai Traditional Medicine, and you will continue to see our process as we grow. Thank you so much for reading about our founders, our commitment to environmental stewardship, regenerative agriculture, sustainable business practices, how we give back to communities in Thailand, and our goal to support the joyful connection between Earth and humans.
]]>Please enjoy this short ebook about our company's startup journey. We are working hard every day to bring the freshest herbs to you, in a system of external healing tools that you can easily use for everyday health.
We strive to honor the history of Luk Prakob and Thai Traditional Medicine, and you will continue to see our process as we grow. Thank you so much for reading about our founders, our commitment to environmental stewardship, regenerative agriculture, sustainable business practices, how we give back to communities in Thailand, and our goal to support the joyful connection between Earth and humans.
We will be adding further articles about the individual herbs used in our products, adding features about farming practices, and even the natural dying process of the fabrics we use in our herbal pouches, pillows and compresses.
We will also be greatly expanding into an entire library of educational videos about how to use the herbal compresses and pillows at home and clinically. Please stay tuned for much more!
]]>While it is not possible to completely prevent Covid-19, you can certainly prepare your body to weather the storm if it does show up. Sign up for online herbal and lifestyle consultations with me to fine tune your home routine. Until then, use these as general guidelines and be in good health.
1) COMMON SENSE ADVICE Sleep, breathe, eat the rainbow (steamed veggies daily with healthy fats) and care for yourself like you are going to run a marathon. Even if nothing happens to you, the ambient cultural stress is high and we need to look at this time as a challenge to remain clear-minded. The little things add up and can be used as ways to amplify your life rather than limit it.
To support sleep: turn off media by 9pm, be in bed (ideally asleep) by 10pm. Melatonin in small amounts can be helpful as well.
To support breath: this video by my Qigong teacher Master Liu He shows a great lung support exercise. I have used it multiple times to come out of exercise-induced asthma as well as anxiety-induced shortness of breath. Give it a try! https://youtu.be/i3noqRBgxWM
To support eating the rainbow: simply slice and cook vegetable in butter/olive oil, then add a dash of water, cover and steam for a little bit. I use this basic recipe for carrots and chives from Jacques Pepin (who is incredibly relaxing to watch as well): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf6sX4DyDFU
2) FLAVOR! Parsley, rosemary, hot pepper (cayenne, hatch, etc), peppercorn (szechuan, long pepper, black and white pepper), garlic, chive, curry spices... all of those often-overlooked herbs and spices will be your friend in increasing resilience via vitamins and support of gut flora (prebiotics). If you have access to a garden space or even a sunny patio, consider growing oregano, parsley, thyme, lemon balm, and rosemary. Bee balm ("wild bergamot"), anise hyssop, and pineapple sage are also useful and pretty!
3) SPRING CLEANING Streamline your living / sleeping space to make it easier to clean. Deep clean the washing machine and use water/soap/washcloths to regularly wipe down surfaces, then wash them- you don't have to use stronger disinfectants every time for all the surfaces. Save the disinfecting wipes for high volume surfaces that interface with the outside world like door handles, keys etc. Investing in a UV sanitizing light may be helpful for phones and other small objects like credit cards and keys.
4) FRESH AIR! Air out your house, especially if using a diffuser for essential oils- they can irritate our lungs (especially animals and babies/kids). So don't overload your house with antiviral essential oils/cleaning products which can contribute to asthma and airway restriction/irriration. Instead, *small* amounts of diluted essential oils in a little snifter can help more to uplift moods than for any medical impact.
Humidifiers are useful to create an optimal environment for your airway mucosa. 40% humidity helps decrease viral infection susceptibility. A hot or cold humidifier will work- just be careful that any condensation doesn't cause mold, and clean it with every use! A simple one can be helpful: https://www.amazon.com/slp/best-warm-mist-humidifier/td5sqn5e96pu3gg
Air filters can reduce general stress on the lungs as well, so if you have the ability it is worthwhile to invest in one for the bedroom/ living room. We will be inside a LOT these days so pay attention to the air quality! I use this one but many options are great: https://www.rabbitair.com/
5) EASY THERE... We all know about stress eating and drinking. But keep in mind how much stress we put on our bodies with what we eat and drink. Exercise moderation, and if you are immune compromised or have underlying conditions such as history of pneumonia, any heart issue, autoimmune disorder, or diabetes / blood sugar issues, please reduce the load on your body. Reduce inflammatory agents such as environmental mold, smoke, and dust by cleaning and using an air filter if possible. Reduce inflammatory foods such as alcohol, sugar, simple carbs including wheat, processed foods, and very greasy/salty/spicy foods.
6) BE KIND TO YOUR GUTS Don't go overboard with vitamins and supplements- our bodies can have a hard time digesting them and they can end up adding to the problem. I do recommend: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, and Selenium. Try to use natural sources of vitamin C such as parsley, broccoli, lemon peels/zest, kiwis, etc, but supplementing is good to be sure you get enough. Brazil nuts are a great natural source of selenium.
Speaking of guts- if you run out of toilet paper, now is a great time to try a bidet or even use a peri bottle- you just need a much smaller amount of tissue for drying off.
7) SWEAT IT OUT! Try to break a sweat every day. This can be from a hot bath, a hot footbath, running or trampolining in place, jumproping, holding horse stance for 5 minutes, online yoga/aerobics, dance games on the gaming console, running, biking, hot tubbing or infrared sauna-ing if you are lucky enough to have your own. A mild sweat is your friend, and if you can sing and/or listen to music at the same time even better! Moving your energy in positive ways is so important right now.
8) OXYTOCIN- THE HAPPY HORMONE! Cuddles, love, and laughter help maintain a healthy immune response! I'm not saying a cuddle will replace antiviral therapy if you get the flu, but it doesn't hurt to bring in the positivity with our close ones! Remember for now, Oxytocin (OT) NOT overtime (ot).
9) VISUALIZE AND EMBRACE NATURE Although we are isolated physically, we can join together socially in the virtual world and in some cases outside in wild areas if you have access. Let's envision our connection to each other, with kindness and love, helping each other move through fear and other difficult emotions without judgment. Imagine your favorite natural area, or visit if you can (safely), and give thanks for the earth and sun which sustain our bodies and communities.
Because our roller handles are made of teak wood, the handle is extremely resistant to moisture degradation of any kind. It is full of its own natural oils that protect it from wearing down over time due to water infiltration.
That said, do not immerse the roller in any liquid for more than a minute, since the stones are slightly porous and can wear down over time. Tiny cracks in the stone may become more pronounced and the stone can become more brittle due to liquid immersion.
The natural stones themselves can naturally fade over time, especially when exposed to UV light (natural and artificial). To preserve the color of amethyst and rose quartz especially, keep them hidden in a dark area. But don't worry, if sun exposure does happen, any natural lightening of the quartz and amethyst (also a type of quartz) will not impact the effectiveness of the tool.
For use at home: Simply wash the roller head before and after each use with warm soap and water, and once a week wipe down with sanitizing wipes such as Method’s Go Naked Wipes. Avoid strongly alkaline or acidic solutions such as bleach or vinegar. You can periodically add a drop of oil to the hole drilled through the wood to be sure the metal is gliding smoothly.
For use clinically: Wipe the stone surfaces down with PDI Super Sani-Cloth Disposable Wipes or similar level of disinfectant, letting it rest for 2 full minutes before washing with soap and hot water. Wipe it down again and let it rest before the next use. You can wash once more with soap and hot water prior to using it to make sure the disinfectant residue is fully removed. To be absolutely sure of no cross-contamination, use the patient’s own facial roller each time.
]]>As an acupuncturist and facialist using facial rollers constantly, I found myself searching for a better roller design. I searched for 4 years until I found these beauties. Let me explain the difference between the commonly known "jade roller" with the single cylindrical rolling element, and our double sphere gemstone facial rollers.