If you’re a parent, or soon will/would like to be one, crying babies will be known to you. There can be many reasons for a crying baby, but one that cries for hours on end is not only heartbreaking (and crazy-making), but could indicate a health problem the baby is experiencing, but can’t communicate.
A recent study showed that acupuncture may help babies suffering from intestinal colic. It even showed that one needle, even when compared to a group of needles, may be useful in treating the condition. In children, and in acupuncture treatments in general, more needles are not necessarily better.
Click this link to check out the original article to find out more about the research.
Acupoints can also be stimulated in other ways, and can prove most useful when trying to help children. Point massage, laser, tuning fork stimulation and other ways to stimulate acupuncture points may help your child stay healthy and treat issues when they arise.
I will be teaching a children’s health class for parents on January 21, 2017 from 1-3pm where I will give more information for parents to help their kids maintain health and provide support for their kids when they do become ill. Topics taught include massage techniques, specific points for maintaining children’s health using a tuning fork, dietary advice.
My wonderful wife first made this cake while living in California after discovering the tasty treats former Chez Panisse pastry chef David Lebovitz writes about in his wonderful books. The ginger flavor is intense, and the cake itself exceptionally moist.
Click the picture below to go to Epicurious.com for the full recipe.
CLICK FOR RECIPE – David Lebovitz’s ginger cake, from the book Room for Dessert photo credit foodlibrarian.com
This pairs well with a lemon curd, especially curd made from Meyer lemons if you can get them. We had an “improved” Meyer lemon tree in our Oakland back yard – we sure do miss it! Try David’s “Improved Meyer lemon curd” recipe from his website.
Chinese medicine dietary benefits of this cake
Even though this is a dessert and should be consumed only on occasion (as my clients know I suggest), this cake has a few ingredients that are beneficial from a Chinese dietary therapy standpoint. Generally, this cake has warming qualities that are excellent for Fall and Winter temperatures (especially here in Minnesota!).
Here are some more specifics on the components of the cake:
Fresh ginger – fresh ginger is a warm herb that:
can help with preventing colds, especially in children and the elderly
reduces nausea, vomiting, belching due to cold in the Stomach
addresses coughs, especially with phlegm
reduces the toxicity of other herbs and foods – more useful when eating foods like raw fish sushi, so not really applicable here
Molasses – warm and sweet flavor:
tonifies qi
strengthens the spleen
lubricates the lungs
stops cough
benefits blood – molasses contains iron, calcium and manganese; good minerals that help to “build Blood” in Chinese medicine
Cinnamon, Vietnamese is very good quality – a hot herb that:
strengthens stomach
warms any coldness in the body
induces sweating (cinnamon twig –gui zhi 桂枝)
Clove – is warm and acrid:
reduces nausea and vomiting
warms the body
Black Pepper– is a warming herb:
reduces vomiting
stops diarrhea
stops abdominal pain
This combination of herbs helps warm the body, especially the Stomach, Spleen and Kidneys. This can be helpful for issues such as impotence, cold hands/feet, low body temperature, frequent colds, nausea/vomiting, period pain, vaginal discharge and other issues. This cake is perfect for the coldest of Minnesota’s winter days.
Gluten free ideas
In looking for a way to make this recipe gluten-free, I found these options for flours to substitute in the recipe. There are a few flours out there that have been getting great reviews for matching consistency and flavor of gluten flours, some of which I’ll list here:
Here’s a website with many details about traditional Chinese Dietary principles, recipes, and help with cooking techniques.
PLEASE NOTE: The author sells herbs from the site, but ask us about the higher quality, pesticide and heavy metals tested herbs we can get for you from a source we trust – Spring Wind Herbs, Inc. in Berkeley, CA.
Fall is typically a dry season. Here is a sample recipe from the website, to address dryness of the lungs. This recipe uses American Ginseng, which is an expensive ingredient and usually highly treated with pesticides. A good substitute is dang shen 党参, which we currently have in stock along with the red dates – just ask us about it!!! Add your favorite veggies to make a stew or soup about 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time (step #2).
Another version of this soup that tonifies Qi, nourishes Blood, and is also moistening to the internal organs is a mixture of dang shen-codonopsis 党参, hong zao-red date 红枣, gou qi zi-lycium (chinese wolfberry)枸杞子, danggui – angelica sinensis 当归, and shan yao-dioscorea 山药.
