Causative Setting: Holistically speaking, our lifestyle and ability to manage it appears to be overstressing most of us whereas our circulatory systems are tight and obstructing thus preventing nutrients to nourish us and elimination of toxins. Our dietary preferences in the U.S. are excessive while empty of nutrients, full of preservatives, pesticides, hormones and processed with additives. Our generation has to manage more stress, life events, media exposure and emotional changes thus disturbing our sleep quality. The result is we lack the necessary energy or life force to be our best. This further makes us irritable in our relationships which worsens all the scenarios described before.

As we break down our energy, immunity and support, our self image and esteem parallels our internal organs ability to weather the challenge. Specifically, our adrenals and kidneys have become depleted of energy or weak, necessitating our attention to re-establishing our essence, life force and our quality of living.

Initially, winning strategies in lifestyle, diet and rest need to be re-constructed. This resource is designed to provide some winning solutions so you can quickly re-engage living rather than aging or dying too soon.

The source of deficiency stems from 4 main areas: 

• LEFT KIDNEY DEFICIENCY
• RIGHT KIDNEY DEFICIENCY
• KIDNEY ENERGY DEFICIENCY
• EXTREME CHRONIC FATIGUE

FOOD THERAPY: LOW BACK PAIN 

This issue may involve not only low back pain but also sciatic pain complicated by other syndromes such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Epstein Barr, etc. 4 Causes of Low Back & Leg Pain.

There are several categories based on Chinese medicine nutrition and Traditional Chinese herbs that support and correct low back pain:

LEFT KIDNEY (yin) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: Heat symptoms, dizziness, ringing in the ears, dry throat, dry mouth, fever, low backache, weak legs, involuntary seminal emission, spontaneous sweating, red tongue, emaciation, deep shiny red tongue

Foods: millet, barley, tofu, string bean, black bean, black soy bean, mung bean, mung bean sprouts, kidney bean, azuki bean, and most other beans, kuzu root, watermelon and most others, blackberry, mulberry, blueberry, huckleberry, water chestnut, wheat germ, potato, seaweeds, spirulina, chlorella, black sesame seed, sardine, crab, clam, eggs, pork, cheese
Herbs: marshmallow root, rehmannia root, Asparagus root, aloe vera gel, colloidal silver (If the constitution is cold and/or most or low back & sciatic is cold and/or moist then choose from the groups below)

RIGHT KIDNEY (yang) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: cold signs or aversion to cold, cold extremities, pale complexion, weak knees and low er back, mental lethargy, lack of libido or sexual desire, depression, irregular menses, clear vaginal discharge, sterility, frequent urination, clear urine, inability to urinate, edema, asthma, lack of will power, lack of direction, enlarged pale tongue, appears inactive, indecisive, unproductive

Foods: walnuts, black beans, onion family (onion, garlic, chives, scallions, leeks), quinoa, chicken, lamb, trout, salmon
Spices: cloves, fenugreek, fennel seeds, dried ginger
Avoid cooling foods, fruit, raw foods, excessive salt, use seaweed cautiously.

KIDNEY ENERGY (qi) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: deficient energy constitution with lower back pain, lack of knee strength, tongue (pale), cold areas of the body. Urinary problems: incontinence, dribbling, frequent urination, unable to urinate, involuntary seminal emission as well as other urinary/seminal problems.

Foods: wheat berry, sweet rice, parsley
Herbs: rose hips, oyster shell, clam shell, schizandra berry, raspberry and blackberry leaves, gravel root

EXTREME CHRONIC FATIGUE (Jing Deficiency):
Characteristics: deficiency of the essence such as ear ringing, hair loss, lower back weakness, knee pain, lightheadedness and loose teeth

Food: micro-algae (chlorella, spirulina, wild blue-green), fish, liver, kidney, brain, bone and its marrow, human placenta, cereal grasses, wheat grass,solomon seal, almonds, ghee (clarified butter), goat’s milk, nettle leaves, royal jelly, bee pollen, Doddler seeds, millet, wheat, black sesame seeds, soybeans, chestnuts, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries, seitan, walnuts
Herbs: deer antler, deer horn velvet, Deer Placenta, Lycium fruit, Polygonum multiflorum root, Eucommia bark, Dendrobium stem, Cinnamon bark, white ginseng, semen cuscutae, astragali seed (complanati), cordyceps, astragalus, codonopsis, reishi, morinda, eleuthero root, paeonia , gambir, gecko, cibot rhizome, tianshan snow lotus, tibet carthami

For final decision on which foods to choose for your condition, please consult a trained master herbalist with in-depth knowledge of Traditional Chinese herbs and food therapy, American herbology and other nutritional systems.

Contributing Environment: Our work and personal life may be stressing us out to the degree that our circulation is constricted not allowing nutrients to feed our organs and toxins to be eliminated. Our food choices in America are too rich, filled with processed, empty nutrients, preservatives, pesticides, hormones, unless you know the verifiable source. This generation endures more stress, changes and emotions keeping us up later and/or deep sleep is not achieved. The result is we lack the necessary energy or life force to be our best. This further makes us irritable in our relationships which worsens all the scenarios described before.

As we break down our energy, immunity and support, our self image and esteem parallels our internal organs ability to weather the challenge. Specifically, our adrenals and kidneys have become depleted of energy or weak, necessitating our attention to re-establishing our essence, life force and our quality of living.

To begin, we need to construct successful strategies in the areas of nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle. This resource is designed to provide some winning solutions so you can quickly re-engage living rather than aging or dying too soon.

The source of deficiency stems from 4 main areas: 

• LEFT KIDNEY DEFICIENCY
• RIGHT KIDNEY DEFICIENCY
• KIDNEY ENERGY DEFICIENCY
• EXTREME CHRONIC FATIGUE

FOOD THERAPY: LOW BACK PAIN 

This issue may involve not only low back pain but also sciatic pain complicated by other syndromes such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Epstein Barr, etc. Below are the 4 main causes of pain in the low back and leg weakness.

There are several categories based on Chinese medicine nutrition and Traditional Chinese herbs that support and correct low back pain:

LEFT KIDNEY (yin) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: Heat symptoms, dizziness, ringing in the ears, dry throat, dry mouth, fever, low backache, weak legs, involuntary seminal emission, spontaneous sweating, red tongue, emaciation, deep shiny red tongue

Foods: millet, barley, tofu, string bean, black bean, black soy bean, mung bean, mung bean sprouts, kidney bean, azuki bean, and most other beans, kuzu root, watermelon and most others, blackberry, mulberry, blueberry, huckleberry, water chestnut, wheat germ, potato, seaweeds, spirulina, chlorella, black sesame seed, sardine, crab, clam, eggs, pork, cheese
Herbs: marshmallow root, rehmannia root, Asparagus root, aloe vera gel, colloidal silver (If the constitution is cold and/or most or low back & sciatic is cold and/or moist then choose from the groups below)

RIGHT KIDNEY (yang) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: cold symptoms in the body such as cold extremities, weakened knees, weakened lower back, avoidance of cold environments, pale skin, depression, lethargic thinking, deficient libido, intermittant menstruation and clear vaginal fluid

Foods: walnuts, black beans, onion family (onion, garlic, chives, scallions, leeks), quinoa, chicken, lamb, trout, salmon
Spices: cloves, fenugreek, fennel seeds, dried ginger
Avoid cooling foods, fruit, raw foods, excessive salt, use seaweed cautiously.

KIDNEY ENERGY (qi) DEFICIENCY:
Characteristics: deficient energy constitution with lower back pain, lack of knee strength, tongue (pale), cold areas of the body. Urinary problems: incontinence, dribbling, frequent urination, unable to urinate, involuntary seminal emission as well as other urinary/seminal problems.

Foods: wheat berry, sweet rice, parsley
Herbs: rose hips, oyster shell, clam shell, schizandra berry, raspberry and blackberry leaves, gravel root

EXTREME CHRONIC FATIGUE (Jing Deficiency):
Characteristics: dizziness, ringing in ears, loose teeth, loss of head hair, painful knees and lower back

Food: micro-algae (chlorella, spirulina, wild blue-green), fish, liver, kidney, brain, bone and its marrow, human placenta, cereal grasses, wheat grass,solomon seal, almonds, ghee (clarified butter), goat’s milk, nettle leaves, royal jelly, bee pollen, Doddler seeds, millet, wheat, black sesame seeds, soybeans, chestnuts, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries, seitan, walnuts
Herbs: deer antler, deer horn velvet, Deer Placenta, Lycium fruit, Polygonum multiflorum root, Eucommia bark, Dendrobium stem, Cinnamon bark, white ginseng, semen cuscutae, astragali seed (complanati), cordyceps, astragalus, codonopsis, reishi, morinda, eleuthero root, paeonia , gambir, gecko, cibot rhizome, tianshan snow lotus, tibet carthami

For final decision on which foods to choose for your condition, please consult a trained master herbalist with in-depth knowledge of Traditional Chinese herbs and food therapy, American herbology and other nutritional systems.

Based on Traditional Chinese herbs and medicine and American nutrition the following foods were selected for their known enhancement of sports performance. Martial artists, monks and sages have perfected the longevity, spirituality and vitalizing practices over the many centuries. I know these strategies work since I have included them in my own work out and practice of martial arts.

SUPER FOODS FOR SUPERIOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE 

ENERGY & STAMINA FOODS
Whole grains (sprouted wheat – hard red winter wheat, Amaranth, Barley, pearled, Buckwheat (kasha), Bulgar, Oats, whole kernel, Rice, brown, Rice, wild, Rye, whole kernel, Quinoa, Wheat, whole kernel, All Bran with Extra Fiber, Bran Buds, Fiber One, Kashi, Go Lean, Shredded Wheat, Shredded Wheat and Bran, Buckwheat Groats, Oat Bran, Old Fashioned Oatmeal, Steel-Cut Oats), Acai berry, Bananas, Black sesame seeds, Black soybeans, Chestnuts, Citrus peel, Chia seed, chicken, herring, Mulberries, mussel, Raspberries, Strawbeeries, shrimp, lamb, sunflower seed, sweet potato, water cress, winter squash, almonds, Ghee, Nettle leaves, Micro algae, Goat milk, Placenta, Royal jelly, Salmon, Trout, Bee pollen, Doddler seeds, Walnuts, Wheat grass

STRENGTH FOODS
If you want to become strong, eat carbohydrates before your workout and eat plenty of protein afterwards. Normal amounts of insulin help muscles grow, and eating carbohydrates causes your blood sugar to rise, which, in turn, causes your pancreas to release insulin. Taking in large amounts of protein after a workout helps muscles to recover faster from hard exercise, so you can do more hard work and grow larger and stronger muscles (Journal of Physiology, Volume 573, 2006).

Bitter foods/herbs, Raw or lightly cooked Vegetables, sprouts, Vegetables (leafy greens, carrots, radishes, mushrooms), fruits, grains, legumes, fresh flax oil, stevia sweetener, Salmon, Spinach, Almonds, Cranberries, Wheat Germ, Beans, Extra Lean Ground Beef, Eggs, Tomatoes, Oatmeal, Bee Pollen, .

Natural steroid food: Asparagus, Avocado, Bananas, Celery, Raw Oysters, Pine Nuts (the edible seeds of pine trees), Figs, Almonds and nuts in general, Eggs, Basil (Sweet basil), Liver, Salmon & Other Fish, Damiana (or Turnera diffusa), Wild Yam.

CONCENTRATION & FOCUS
fish, fish oil, spirulina, whole grains (Brown rice, Maize, Oats, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth, Wheat, Sweet rice, Spelt), legumes and their sprouts (mung bean sprouts, soy bean sprouts, tofu, tempeh, peas, Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-eyed peas, Broad Beans (Fava Beans), Butter Beans, Calico Beans, Cannellini Beans, Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), Edamame, Great Northern Beans, Italian Beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Soy Beans, including black soy beans, Split Peas
White Beans), fresh nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables and microalgae. Flax seed, pumpkin seed, chia seed, borage seed, black currant seed and primrose seed oils

EMOTIONAL STRENGTH FOODS
Whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice, oats), Ganoderm, Poria, lettuce, cucumber, barley gruel, oat groat tea, Fruit (apples, mullberries, lemons), dill, basil, rose hips, Ghee (clarified butter), cabbage, fresh wheat germ, wild blue greem algae, apple cider vinegar

FOODS TO AVOID
Sugar, or foods with added sugars, Processed grains, or foods containing them (except as listed on the Grains List e.g. packaged cereals, even whole grain cereals, are usually processed, verify), Refined grains (which don’t say “whole” in front of each grain on the label) or foods containing them, “Wheat” or “wheat flour” without the word “whole” is usually a code word for “white” (includes white rice, “Flour” listed alone is always white flour), Potatoes, Cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. Crackers, unless whole grain, Cereals, unless whole grain and at least 8 grams of fiber per serving, Chips, Ice cream, Jams and Jellies, Maple Syrup, Regular Soda and other sweetened beverages, Juices, Oils except for extra virgin olive oil, nut oils, and canola oil, Mayonnaise, Creamy salad dressings, Butter, Magarine, Dairy products that are not fat-free, including cheese, cream cheese, milk, etc., Fatty meats such as bacon or sausage, Anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats in it.

Traditional Chinese herbs & formulas have helped thousands of athletes through the centuries; try our formulas for top performance.

For training purposes, herbal herbs provide for strength, speed and emotional well-being, essential for superior performance.

Currently, experiments in India and Japan are being conducted with the emphasis on increasing the medicinal properties of the herbs. The key to herb medicine potency is in wide dispute. The GMO camp believes you can improve specific alkaloids in the overall herb composite. The anti-GMO herb camp holds that when you change the property ratio then you, in effect, change the medicinal value which stems from the original structure. The argument that a specific alkaloid is responsible for the medicinal impact versus the whole or synergistic effect of the herb is an ongoing disagreement that needs to be watched carefully.       

Besides the changes to the original plant structure, GM herbs are philosophically opposed to the premises of natural, alternative medicine. These ethical concerns deserve respect and careful consideration before admitting these foods into the gene pool. Input from the herb medicine & research community needs to be acquired before making these changes. Decisions by large corporate ventures are lacking, by nature, conscience in this regard. Though many execs may intend well, it would be to their benefit to attract unbiased feedback as to whether to choose GM procedures in their development. What are the consequences versus the profit?

Most Master Herbalists, specializing in Chinese Medicine, focus on food as a therapy. Here are some points to consider about the food nutrient (incl. herbal herbs) industry:

• In the U.S. alone, between 1997 and 1999, gene-modified (GM) ingredients suddenly appeared in 2/3rds of all processed foods.”
• Be sure to choose organic soy milk. Most soybeans in America are genetically modified. Organic soybeans are not genetically modified.
• If the proponents of GMO are so wise then why do we still have nutrient depletion in our food products?
• That carrot has about 57% less magnesium and 16% less calcium in it than the ones our parents ate, a banana 87% less folic acid, and spinach 59% less vitamin C!
• While there is an increase in vitamin and mineral sales to cover the our food nutrient deficiency, more city/county public works departments are disposing by the multiple truck loads, the residual pellets to dump sites. The only real working source of nutrition comes from food that our body absorbs or supplements based on whole food sources.

Genetically modified foods can have decidedly unhealthy effects. One solid conclusion found that:

1. More than half of the offspring of rats fed on transgenically modified soya died in the first three weeks of life, six times as many as those born to mothers with normal diets. Six times as many were also severely underweight.
2. Mothers who include GM foods in their diet during pregnancy may unwittingly endanger their unborn babies. A report by the corporate GM giant, Monsanto, revealed that rats fed a diet rich in GM corn had smaller kidneys and higher blood cell counts than those that ate a natural strain, suggesting possible damage to their immune systems.

The nutrient value of food has fallen drastically while the price is skyrocketing.

        Source: 1996 Geigy Pharmaceuticals, Foodstuffs laboratory, Karlsruhe / Obertal Sanatorium.

Boosting our immune systems, metabolic and vascular efficiency with suitable mineral and vitamin supplements compensates for some of these effects, acts preventatively, and assists us in countering deficiencies. But have you ever seen how emaciated our elderly become when maintained on ENSURE in nursing homes? The ignorance can only be rationalized and accepted for how long?   Reliance on healthy, nutrient rich foods and herbs are the essential foundation for sustaining life.

The bottom-line is this. Greed has, unconsciously and consciously, crept into the way we develop our food supply. Whenever the food supply is managed in an impersonal basis there is high risk for exploitation. Though this development is not everywhere, it is extensive enough now that balance in the industry is fargone. This condition, may be, beyond the ability of mankind to retrieve it unless radical changes are implemented.  

Mark Hammer, C.M.H., Master Herbalist, Longevity Mountain

1. India working on GM herbs, says Greenpeace, Joe C Mathew / Business Standard New Delhi (November 05, 2008)
2. “50 Harmful Effects of Genetically Modified Foods” By Nathan Batalion

Nowadays, traditional Chinese medicine does not simply take in medicinal products, but also covers herbal preparations and a range of practices including acupuncture and massage. The foundation of Chinese medicine is that the human body works because of a number of interrelated processes that are in constant interaction with our environment. While these processes are in balance you are healthy but, if they are not running alongside one another smoothly, your health will suffer.

There are various different philosophies which govern Chinese medicine including such things as the theory of Yin-Yang which is concerned with the role of the five elements (fire, earth, water, metal and wood), energy flow through the meridians of the body and the relationships between the body’s organs as outlined in the theory of Zang-Fu.

For a long time there has been conflict between people who believe in traditional Chinese medical practices and those who believe in the science-based practice of Western medicine. Today however Chinese medicine, along with other forms of Asian and Oriental medicine, is being increasingly accepted in the West and we frequently refer to such practices as alternative medicine.

For the many millions of sufferers herbal remedies have long been seen as effective in treating insomnia, or in relieving the symptoms of insomnia, and things like lavender, chamomile, lemon balm and passion flower are well known for their medicinal properties. There can be very few insomnia sufferers who have not had a hot drink of honey and lemon before retiring for the night.

An increasing number of people are also turning to acupuncture or, for those who do not fancy the idea of needles, acupressure. Both arts have been practiced for many hundreds of years and the principles were born out of the traditional Chinese practice of adjusting the energy in the body by controlling its flow along the body’s meridian lines.

In spite of its growing acceptance there are still many people who are wary of Chinese medicine. But anyone who has first-hand experience of it in action, especially those of us who have been fortunate enough to live in the Far East, will be more than happy attest to its effectiveness.

If you suffer from insomnia then Chinese medicine is one route which you should consider seriously and a good place to start is with a simple herbal cure for insomnia.