If you grew up in the south it is likely you have heard the old adage “God made dirt, and dirt don’t hurt,” but is there something really to that?  You many have seen a tv show about individuals with a drive to eat non-food items also known as pica, but when it comes to eating dirt, this phenomenon is often referred to by a more specific term “geophagia.”  When someone is exhibiting geophagia they are most likely struggling with a deficiency.  In some parts of Africa eating the soil is considered a telltale sign of a pregnancy.  One of the most interesting examples of geophagia is the kaolin ingestion common in the Georgia Piedmont region that appears to me mostly generationaly driven.  If you visit many small stores in this region you will come across “novelty” dirt, but the locals all know the dirt isn’t likely to be just a novelty.  If you grew up in this area you may have developed an affinity for the taste of this dirt and crave it like others crave various treats from their childhood.  With all this draw to eat dirt, is there any health benefit to eating dirt?  Let’s dig a little deeper.

In recent years microbiologists and immunologists have been working hard to discover what is causing the great shifts in allergies and inflammatory diseases which have been witnessing an upturn since as early as the 1980’s. A new study from Russia and Finland has found that children who were growing up in the country as opposed to more urban areas experienced fewer allergies and had more Acinetobacter naturally occurring on their skin.  Acinetobacter is one of the good bacteria that you were warned about killing if you kept using so much hand sanitizer.  To test their theories scientists brought out the mice. They took one group of mice kept in clean litter in a laboratory setting and a second set of mice in soil saturated litter and stored in a barn. After 6 weeks the mice in the “dirty” cage were less susceptible to allergens and asthma and had a greater presence of “good bacteria” in their guts. The mice in the “dirty” cage also had higher levels of anti-inflammatory proteins that are known to ward off asthma.  

Perhaps a more familiar form of soil used for health purposes is clay.  Bentonite clay is used internally to bind toxins as part of some detoxification routines.  One of our most popular chinese herbal supplements ~ Classical Pearl, created by my teacher in Portland, Oregon, has a small amount of mineral rich clay that is used synergistically to detoxify while balancing organ systems.  During the recent months we have made several changes to our practice.  One of these is moving all of our product sales to e-pharmacy providers or special orders when the product is not available.  Our patients receive a three month prescription that can be directly ordered and delivered to their home.  This is made possible by Crane Herb Company, whose mission follows:  We are dedicated to empowering Chinese herb practitioners in their lives as healers. To this end, we offer you and your patients the finest herb products, prescriptions, books, and medical supplies that we can find. And boy are we grateful for them during these changing times.

In short, a little dirt probably won’t hurt.  You definitely should keep washing your hands, especially when you have been out in public, but some bacteria is ok.  The bacteria on your garden fresh vegetables might even help you be healthier.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/the-influence-of-soil-on-human-health-66885

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/would-you-like-side-dirt-eating-soil/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10071665

(xià zhì夏至)

It’s the longest day of the year so let’s celebrate the start of summer! The summer solstice happens between June 20 and 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the start of summer and the point when days start to become shorter and nights longer. The summer solstice is not the same day and time every year because the calendar does not exactly correspond to the Earth’s rotation. For 2019, here in Alabama, the Sun reached its greatest height in the sky on June 21 at 10:54 a.m. Central Time.

Passionflower (Passiflora lutea) at AOW

We are technically still in the Earth phase, or Doyo, which is the transitional time when the seasons change (see last week’s blog post). Working in the Earth’s soil not only is nourishing to our spirits but there is evidence that it is actually supportive of our mental health as the microbes in the soil interact with the  gut-brain axis by connecting the emotional and cognitive parts of the brain with our intestinal systems.  At Alberta Orchard Wellness, we are continuing our project of clearing invasive bamboo, kudzu and pesky ground covers while cultivating the native groves of our mulberries, blackberries, passionflower (genus Passiflora), persimmon, strawberries and poke (genus Phytolacca) on the property in the permaculture fashion of observing and interacting with nature. We are weeding out that which no longer serves and planting competition crops such as mini clover to cultivate our wildness. Invasive plants are the greatest threat to our natural species much as invasive thoughts threaten our original nature. The cultivation of the desirable traits within ourselves like: generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, resolve and loving kindness is truly a remedy to our suffering. To learn more about these click here

The summer solstice marks the peak of the yang energy for the year and begins the yin energy of the year. Yin and yang represent two opposite forces that are mutually dependent and interdependent in the balance of life. This dynamic balance forms the basics of Chinese medicine as the movement from the original source of all things. The Yin Yang Symbol is also known as the Tai Chi symbol.

Yin Yang interdependent interconnected

This ancient Yin Yang symbol, is a circle divided into two equal portions by a wave-like line with one half shaded (Yin) and the other half left unshaded (Yang). The Tai Chi or Yin Yang symbol was created by the observation of the sun’s cycles. The ancient Chinese used an eight-foot tall pole, posted at right angles to the ground to observe the cycles of the sun and record the length of shadow cast. They used six concentric circles and then divided the circles into twenty-four sectors in order to record the length of the shadow every day. The shortest shadow was observed on the summer solstice while the longest shadow was cast on the winter solstice. After connecting the lines and shading the Yin for the summer solstice, the familiar symbol emerged.

The word “solstice” is derived from the Latin words “sol” (sun) and “stitium” (still or stopped). During the summer solstice, the sun’s relative position in the sky at noon does not appear to change much so that it appears to stand still. During the rest of year, the Earth’s tilt on its axis causes the sun’s path to rise and fall from one day to the next.

qi gong warmup at AOW

You can continue to cultivate wellness during this Earth season by practicing exercises for healing the spleen  with Qi gong support. Stand with your feet touching the earth (or visualize this if indoors) in the universal stance, emulating a horse riding posture, with a relaxed yet dignified upright spine. Wake up the meridian and organ networks with three to five minutes of qi gong shaking then relax and feel the energy of the earth support and heavenly flow within your body. Wake the organ spleen by tapping and repeating eight times the sound of the spleen: whooooo  (like the wise owl calling to us). Open the gates of heaven (top of head ~ meeting of ten thousand things) and earth (bottom of feet ~ bubbling spring) again. Seal the Vessel with a Kegel of the pelvic floor. Pivot from the lower back with smooth and continuous action. The left palm, facing earth, pushes downward while the right palm, faces heaven, pulls upward.  At the end of the pivot, alternate hand positions.  Repeat 40 times while imagining healing, golden light internally particularly healing and balancing your spleen.

Embrace the season, tend to your gardens, and do good work for your body like practicing Qi gong or Tai chi, the art of embracing the mind, body and spirit. The principles of these ancient practices are based in Daoist philosophy, the Book of Change, I Ching, and the continuing flow of two opposing forces yin and yang.

Tai chi and Qi gong have gained in popularity and classes are now available in many cities at community recreational centers, yoga studios, and even churches and places of worship. Several options for the instruction and practice of Tai Chi can be found in Tuscaloosa including classes at Yoga Bliss and the YMCA. Check out the links below and get your chi on!

http://www.yogablisstuscaloosa.com/tai-chi.html

http://www.ymcatuscaloosa.org/tai-chi/