Research tells us that acupuncture has been beneficial in treating a variety of conditions including high blood pressure, stress and anxiety, and headaches, just to name a few. And the good news is, you can add allergy symptoms to that list as well. continue reading
As we approach what I hope is Act 3 of our global pandemic, I am eager to share my most valued resources, as well as a Chinese medical perspective and translation of certain practices that are now a part of our daily lives. At any given time, most of us have had different “gurus” to help guide us through this previously unchartered territory. Many have put their trust in the mainstream media and conventional medicine, while others have gone to the opposite extreme. As for myself, I think I fall somewhere in the middle, which unfortunately often ends up the target of criticism from either pole, though is genuinely where I observe to be the greatest logic.
Two follows that I am presently loving are Michael Mina, a Harvard epidemiology professor, and “Your Local Epidemiologist,” both of whom in my opinion are thinking dynamically and diplomatically about each sub-issue under our greater situation at hand.
Michael Mina’s primary advice, put succinctly, is that the key to reaching the level of success and safety that certain European countries have is through government subsidized rapid tests that most citizens can afford to regularly take themselves at home. He argues that it is misleading to think of the slower PCR tests as more accurate, because their degree of accuracy is irrelevant for our purposes. For example, a PCR test can detect only one molecule of CoVid-19 in the body, which is not nearly a sufficient quantity to be infectious; not to mention the fact that we have to wait 12 or more hours for results, during which time what we come into contact with is unknown. The rapid tests, on the other hand, are only able to detect amounts that make us infectious, which really is what is most important—plus the results are immediate. Personally, in the interest of protecting Mom, baby, and the world, I’ve begun rapid testing every Monday morning. The most recommended brands I am using are:
Michael Mina also informs that even before CoVid-19, all coronaviruses have spiked in severity and infectiousness during the November and December months and begun to gradually wane afterwards. While of course there could be variables such as people gathering indoors for the holidays, one can assume that people always gather indoors for the rest of winter as well, yet levels tend to drop. From a Chinese Medical perspective our “yang,” warming, immune-boosting energy begins gradually climbing immediately after the winter solstice. All the more reason for the next two months to regularly employ resources such as rapid tests and masks, and to support our body’s “yang energy” with warming foods such as beef, bone broth, ginger tea, and roasted vegetables. Vitamin D supplementation is also a good idea if levels are low or borderline.
Finally, I continue to feel strongly about the importance of mask-wearing. Although risk of transmission outdoors is low, I find myself keeping my mask on during the winter, for the same reason I do my hat, hood, or scarf. Chinese Medicine has always prioritized keeping all parts of the body as warm as possible, as cold air creates vasoconstriction, which decreases circulation and increases inflammation. The mouth and nose are the portals to the gastrointestinal and respiratory microbiomes respectively, which means by keeping them warm we can unburden the lungs and stomach from having to continuously send ATP upward to do so. This is the same principle as why we always advise covering our necks and heads in cold climates, so as to not put all of the responsibility on the immune system, which has more important things to do than constantly ward off acute infection.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion at the points Stomach 36 on the front of the knee, and Urinary Bladder 43 on the upper back are also excellent for improving immune function… but not to be tried at home. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to come in for a series of sessions with this intention.
As many of you know, I mostly use Kamwo Pharmacy for herbal prescriptions, as they have an enormous selection that allows for greater flexibility in customizing formulas for each individual. However, there are a few products that I keep on hand from the company, Botanical Biohacking, as they use premium grade, organic herbs, and have one of the top reputations in the country for quality of care.
From left to right:
AQUADA is a formula that comes in the (tiniest) pill form, and contains only two ingredients, atractylodes and phellodendron, with the intention of reducing inflammatory dysbiosis in the urogenital microbiome. This is commonly prescribed for tendencies such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, gout disease, jockage, infertility, neuropathies, or any other condition where a pathological blockage is creating issues “below the belt.”
WARM HEARTH is a more complex formula, that also contains atractylodes, but within the context of many other herbs to both complement and balance its potentially systemic drying effects. Put plain and simple, the intention of Warm Hearth is to reduce old, stuck, fluid retention and dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal microbiome. It generally makes people pee a lot, and then subsequently thirsty for plain water, which is the antithesis of a vicious cycle and something we are trying to encourage. It can be great for weight loss, acid reflux, asthma, and a whole host of other stomach and lung conditions where the root cause of the pathology is trapped phlegm in the collaterals.
Finally, BAO HE WAN: This is a dangerous combination—not because the herbs are remotely dangerous—but because it is nicknamed by many herbalists as “The Green Light” remedy, to kind of do, eat, and drink as we please, at least for a night or a few nights here and there. This formula is not from Botanical Biohacking, but it is loosely based on one of their other brilliant creations designed to either purge old inflammation from the gut or mitigate the side effects of brief indulgent gluttony. I always keep it on hand, frankly because we live in America, where it could arguably be the most indicated combination in all of traditional medicine. A great bottle to have on hand entering the holidays, but again, definitely not something that will ultimately absolve anyone from not having to exercise, eat cooked vegetables, and avoid sugar.
Keep in mind that this is holistic medicine. Just because you may have seen your condition listed as one of the indications for any of these formulas does NOT necessarily mean it is the correct one for you at any given time. Each individual has not only our own unique pattern, but a pattern that is ever-changing as we change, either with the seasons, with fluctuating stress levels, workloads, improved or degenerated levels of health. It is important to always consult an herbalist who diagnoses based on patterns, not symptoms, when prescribing “natural remedies.”
In the meantime, know that because these are a few of my favorite and most commonly prescribed formulas, they are always on hand at the office, and potentially available should we determine them appropriate for you. Please do not hesitate with any questions about whether real, actual holistic medicine is appropriate for you right now.
According to the CDC, arthritis is a common health problem in the U.S., affecting more than 54 million people, with this number expected to rise to 78 million in the next 20 years. Among chronic diseases in the U.S., arthritis causes more disability than any other condition, including heart disease, diabetes, and back or spine problems. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the third most common type of arthritis behind osteoarthritis (prevalence 31 million) and gout (prevalence more than 8 million). RA affects More than 1.3 million in the U.S. continue reading
Paying it forward, passing it along, whether “it” is in reference to kindness, generosity, wisdom, or information (the latter two of which are not mutually interdependent), in my opinion, is one of the most important actions in life. In contrast to its pathological expressions, such as stealing or mindless echoing, passing along the good is the simplest and most convenient way to make the world a better place.
My friend and brilliant comedian, Myq Kaplan, introduced me to the newsletter of James Clear, and in the most recent note from the latter was another great example of passing it along, as Clear quoted Oscar Wilde: “If you don’t get everything you want, think of the things you don’t get that you don’t want.”
In the past three months my wife and I have endured all of the typical good and bad that comes with having a newborn … at times some of the “bad” has admittedly been not so typical, but at least typical to us and our issues. For everything that has not gone according to plan, everything that has felt like hell or at least disappointment, I’ve often reminded my wife that the baby is healthy, smiling and laughing daily, and in our completely unbiased opinion, the most beautiful baby in the world.
The gift and curse of being a health care provider is that every day in clinic we get a front row seat to just how bad things can get. On one hand it is a great reminder to be exorbitantly disciplined in our self-care—to constantly improve with the awareness of our vulnerable mortality. On the other hand, it can turn us all into the Woody Allen’s of holistic medicine, wondering if every skin tag, every 48-hour period of indigestion or insomnia might be a precursor to some formal diagnosis. Obviously, such neuroses are heightened for first-time parents, maybe especially for those of us of a Semitic background. To bring this stream of consciousness full circle, a former best friend of mine, Tre, used to echo his Caribbean father’s fortune cookie wisdom: Be glad that you have your problems. Somewhat synonymous with Oscar Wilde’s saying, and a reminder that most of us, in our darkest times, can find gratitude in particular voids of suffering.
DISCOUNT$
FOR ALL PATIENTS: Fullscript supplements are offering discounts on products up to 20% from November 29th-December 1st. In case anyone is running low on their multi vitamin, fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium, or anything else, this is the most reputable company I’m aware of, and surely a good idea to be stocked up entering the winter season: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/davidfosteracupuncture
FOR CASH PATIENTS: As a showing of appreciation, I would like to match Fullscript’s offer by taking 20% off of all treatments between now and the new year. Of course, I cannot legally apply this to package discounts or insurance copays Wishing everyone a happy remainder of this holiday weekend, and I’m looking forward to seeing and hopefully helping you through the next month.
