Are Strawberries Dangerous?

Happy fruiting season! It’s the time of year when strawberries are coming in season. (Or, I should say in season naturally, since we can get fruit all year round, even when it’s not in season.) Strawberry season is good news and bad news… The good news is, of course, how fresh and yummy they are, and they signal the start of all the fruity goodness to come through the next several months. The bad news is that they’re heavily sprayed with some pretty nasty chemicals, and they’re one of the heaviest sprayed crops. Why should you care?

Strawberries and Chemicals

Research by the US government in the last several years showed that conventional strawberries may contain 45 different pesticide residues including:

– 6 known or suspected carcinogens (cause cancer)

– 16 suspected hormone disruptors​

– 7 neurotoxins​ (toxic to the nervous system)

​​- 6 developmental or reproductive toxins​

​- 12 chemicals that are toxic to honeybees​

And if all that’s not bad enough, recent government research also showed “residues of 81 different pesticides in various combinations“, and “20 percent of samples had residues of 10 or more pesticides“.

What to Do

That’s some scary stuff right there. Those innocent-looking strawberries contain a toxic soup of chemicals. Before you freak out and tell me how much you love strawberries (I do too!), you can still eat them. Just eat only ORGANIC strawberries. Yes, they’ll cost more, but they’ll cost a lot less than getting cancer.

It’s pretty easy to find organic strawberries these days. Even better, grow your own. If you have a garden or even a large pot on a balcony, you can grow your own organic strawberries. They’re easy to grow and taste better fresh picked, anyway!​ And you know exactly what’s gone into their growing. 

For More Information

Eliminating toxic foods from our diet is an important part of eating right and staying healthy. If you want to learn more about the chemicals on food, and which foods are cleaner and dirtier, check out these resources: 

http://whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=ST​

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php​

The second link is to the Environmental Working Group, which puts out a list of the “dirty dozen” and “clean 15” foods each season. The 2018 list just came out, and in case you’re wondering, strawberries landed at #1 again this year on the “dirtiest” list. I highly recommend you check out their lists and use them as a guide to know which fruits and veggies to buy organic, and which are ok to eat conventional (not organic).

2018: The Year of the Earth Dog

by Wendy S. Goldman, L.Ac.

2018 is the Year of the Earth Dog. As you may know, the energy of each year is different, and most people know the animal of their birth year in the Chinese Zodiac. Each animal represents different energetic implications for the year. With a basic understanding of how the energies of the year interact, we can get some insight into the implications for weather, health, emotions, business, the economy, politics, and more. We can use this information to plan and prepare for the year.

The Western Calendar vs. Lunar New Year

January 1st became the first day of the year in 45 BCE. Julius Caesar set it as an arbitrary date to correct previous errors in the calculation of the calendar, since there are actually 365 days plus a few hours in a year. It has nothing to do with the movements of energy in nature. And it has no relation to the actual start of the new year from an energetic perspective.

January 1st is in the middle of winter, and is only about a week after the winter solstice. The solstice has the shortest amount of daylight, and longest night, and is the most Yin day of the year. Everything is still frozen, and if it’s not actually frozen, in winter, the energy goes down into the ground to rest and recharge for the active growing season that starts at the beginning of spring. The start of spring is the start of new growth. So, when you think about January 1st as being the start of the new year from the energetic perspective, it makes no sense at all.

The Chinese lunar calendar, though, is based on the movements of energy in nature. The start of the year is the start of spring and the cycle of new growth. This year, Chinese New Year is February 16, 2018, and is the year of the Yang Earth Dog.

Each year is either Yin or Yang, and alternates each year. 2017 was a Yin year, so 2018 is a Yang year. Yang represents the heat, fire, function and activity. Yin represents calm, quiet, and rest. Daytime, spring and summer are more Yang in nature, being more light, bright, warmer and active. Nighttime, fall and winter are more Yin in nature, being darker, quieter, colder and naturally less active. Yin time is the time to rest and recharge.

Every year, we have both the energy from Heaven, and the energy from Earth. When we say “Heaven energy” it represents the energy coming from the sky, or the universe, not in any religious sense. The Earth energy is exactly as it sounds, the energy coming from the Earth. Because Heaven and Earth are so much bigger than humans and everything that lives on Earth, we’re all affected by these energies.

The Heaven and Earth energies are often different elements. For example, in 2017 the Heaven energy was Fire, and the Earth energy was Metal. It happens that in 2108, both the Heaven and Earth energy are the same element. The Heaven energy is Earth, and the Earth energy this year is the Earth Dog. Thus, we have 2018 as the Yang Earth Dog. It’s a double Earth year, so the energy of the Earth element is very strong and excess in 2018. All effects of Earth energy will be magnified, and since it’s a Yang year, they’ll be even stronger.

The good news is, that after finishing the last two years of sharp, cutting metal energy, we should get a bit more peace with the Earth energy.

Nature of the Year

Let’s first consider the nature of the animal this year, the Dog. Dogs are loyal, social, pack animals, that work together. They’re devoted to their pack, be it canine or human. This is a year that working together with others should bring good results. Dogs will also fight viciously to guard and protect their own when threatened, so this may be a year we see people band together for protection, and the good of their “pack” or tribe of people. Not necessarily violently, as Earth is more spiritual in nature than material. The violence and passion of the last two years was due to the Metal and Fire energies.

Now let’s think about the character of Earth, which is trust and harmony. We may see people band together to create more trust, care, welfare and harmony of the “pack”. We should also see more truth emerge, as truth and trust are the nature of Earth.

Next, we can get a sense of the weather for the year, by considering the nature of the Earth element. First, the Heaven and Earth energy are in harmony, since they’re the same element, and there’s no conflict between them. Weather temperatures should be a bit more normal, after coming off of two hot Fire years. The fire energy is depleted, so there should be a lot less fires, and any fires should be smaller than the last couple of years.

Ancient Chinese books tell us exactly what to expect: the nature of Earth is dampness, and the actual substance is the earth. Earth is in charge of clouds and rain, and causes movement. Earth transforms and transports. That tells everything. When I saw this one coming, I got a bit concerned, since I live in California. It’s a Yang, double-Earth year, which means the effects will be magnified, and strong, since it’s a Yang year. That’s our California Armageddon: earthquakes (big ones, since it’s a Yang year), lots of rain, and mudslides. I’ve been telling my patients for the last six months to repair their roofs and any leaks they have in their homes. I was a bit reluctant to write this, since Earth corresponds with the Spleen and Stomach, and the emotions of those organs are worry and overthinking. I don’t want to damage anyone’s Spleen! Having the information in advance, though, means that we can take steps to prepare. If you live in an area that tends to have earthquakes, landslides, and/or flooding, 2018 has the potential for all of these to be big problems, so you’re forewarned, and can take precautions and prepare.

Health Implications

Speaking of the corresponding organs, Earth corresponds with the Spleen and Stomach. Think dampness. Earth is in charge of clouds and rain, which are wet. Dampness is mucus, phlegm and fat. Expect lots of dampness this year. Anything that can get damp in 2018, will. It’s a great time to focus on eating right, and avoiding damp foods. Examples of damp foods are dairy products (milk, cheese, etc., but not eggs – eggs are not damp; wheat is also damp).

We’ll see digestive issues with dampness, for example nausea, bloating and stomach flu with lots of diarrhea. If you already have digestive issues, avoid eating the damp foods mentioned above.

Colds that occur in 2018 will be of the damp type, rather than the dry type. So, instead of lingering dry coughs, there will be a lot of mucus with nasal and chest congestion.

Because the Earth and the Spleen correspond with muscles and flesh, we may see more muscle injuries, as well as more lumps, bumps and tumors, as dampness likes to accumulate.

The emotions of the Spleen and Stomach are worry and overthinking, so people that have a tendency to fret are in for a more challenging year.

People with Heart and Small Intestine issues may worsen. Anyone with emotional issues like anxiety may be worse, and worry about it more.

Business

Earth can put out, or weaken the energy of Fire. Think about it this way – you throw soil on a campfire to put it out. So anything corresponding with Fire should be weak this year.

Fire represents the stock market and electrical and computer industries, so they may not fare well in 2018. Interesting that the stock market and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (which are electronic/tech) took a dive at the beginning of February, hmm?

Don’t let your computer or electronics get damp. That will be very bad in 2018!

But the real estate market and earth industries, or anything having to do with earth and soil should be strong, as long as long as they’re not damaged by earthquakes, landslides and flooding.

Earth represents the Spleen and Stomach, which are the main part of the digestive system in Chinese medicine. Based on that, I expect that businesses related to food, eating and restaurants will have a good year.

When we analyze the energetics of the Year of the Earth Dog, and the interactions of the energies, we can get a good idea of what to expect clinically in any given year. This can help us live long lives in harmony with the Heaven and Earth energies.

2017: The Year of the Fire Rooster

by Wendy S. Goldman, L.Ac.

2017 is the Year of the Fire Rooster. As you may know, the energy of each year is different, and most people know the animal of their birth year in the Chinese Zodiac. Each animal represents different energetic implications for the year. With a basic understanding of how the energies of the year interact, we can get some insight into the implications for weather, health, emotions, business, the economy, politics, and more. We can use this information to plan and prepare for the year.

Let’s look at the energy this year. 2017 is the year of the Yin Fire, or Red, Rooster. Red represents Fire, so you may see the year mentioned as either the Red Rooster or Fire Rooster.

Every year, we have both the energy from Heaven, and the energy from Earth. When we say “Heaven energy” it represents the energy coming from the sky, or the universe, not in any religious sense. The Earth energy is exactly as it sounds, the energy coming from the Earth. Because Heaven and Earth are so much bigger than humans and everything that lives on Earth, we’re all affected by these energies.

Each year is also Yin or Yang. Yang represents the heat, fire, activity and function. Yin represents calm, quiet, and rest. Daytime, spring and summer are more Yang in nature, being more light, bright, warmer and active. Nighttime, fall and winter are more Yin in nature, being darker, quieter, colder and naturally less active. Yin time is the time to rest and recharge.

The Yin/Yang polarity alternates each year. 2016 was a Yang year, so 2017 is a Yin year, and 2018 will be another Yang year. The Heaven and Earth energies both follow the Yin/Yang polarity of the year. This year, the Heaven energy is Yin Fire, and the Earth energy is the Rooster, which corresponds with Yin Metal.

To analyze the energy of the year, we can start by considering the nature of the animal. Roosters are loud in the morning to wake us up at daybreak. They’re very territorial, and protectors and guardians of their flock of chickens. They can also be quite ornery, as you may know if you’ve ever encountered a rooster! Many urban communities that allow the keeping of chickens ban roosters, due to their loud morning noise. So, we can expect this kind of energy and behavior this year, and we’ve seen a preview in American politics. Roosters also tend to have more flamboyant feathers and coloration than the hens. Expect more loud, extravagant crowing for attention this year, from people and events.

Next, we consider the nature of the annual Heaven and Earth energies. The Heaven energy this year is Yin fire. Fire is hot, active, and passionate. Yin fire is more like the flame of a candle than a bonfire, so the weather will continue to be warmer than normal, but shouldn’t be as hot as last year, which was a Yang fire year.

Fire is also passion and joy, so it’s a good year for romance and to have fun, especially with others, as chickens are social creatures that live together in flocks.

The Earth energy this year is Yin metal. The nature of metal is dryness, but again, due to the Yin nature of the metal this year, we’ll have mildly dry conditions. So, in general, we can expect warmer and dryer weather than normal. There is more potential for fires this year, especially in fall, but they shouldn’t be as big as last year, since it’s a Yin year.

We’ll probably also have more humidity. The metal and fire create dryness, but as an ancient Chinese Medicine text says, metal is in charge of fog and dew. (Earth is in charge of clouds and rain.) Thus, more humidity.

Interestingly, metal is also in charge of armored creatures, so we may see more bugs this year, as well as problems from insect bites.

Metal is sharp and cutting. Last year was Yang metal, like an ax or chainsaw. This year the Yin metal is more like a small knife, but it’s still a good time to cut unnecessary excess out of your life, physically, mentally and energetically. Lots of people have been purging their clothes and stuff. It’s a great year to continue, in all areas of your life.

There could be more injuries caused by metal and cuts this year. But watch out for cutting language and behavior this year, too. And because of the fire energy, people will be passionate about it, so thinking before speaking and acting is good practice this year.

Health

We may see problems with the lungs, since they correspond with the metal energy in the body. Combined with the fire energy from Heaven, we’d expect problems of dryness, but because metal also creates more humidity, we could see problems of both dryness and dampness in the lungs and large intestine. So there could be more asthma, allergies, and colds with lots of mucus, but also dry coughing. People could have problems with diarrhea or constipation, depending on their constitution and diet.

Emotionally, be aware that there could be more sadness, depression and anxiety in the fall (metal season).

There may also be skin diseases with redness and dryness, and most likely itching, like psoriasis. This energetic effect started last year, and will continue this year, although it may not be as severe as last year.

Be careful with overwork this year, as it may have more of a burnout effect. People suffering from fatigue, hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and dry eyes, may have a bit harder time this year. If this is you, you may need some help to manage the symptoms with acupuncture and Chinese herbs, which can both help.

Also watch out for problems and injuries with tendons, ligaments and the nervous system this year.

Anxiety and insomnia may be worse in summer and fall, especially in hot weather. Again, Chinese medicine can help if this affects you.

Business

Businesses related to fire, cooking, computers, electronics and the stock market are all considered to be associated with the fire element, and should be strong this year. We also have to consider the relationship and interactions between the Heaven and Earth energies. Fire melts metal and weakens it, so metal and metal-related industries may suffer this year.

Also businesses related to water, like fishing, plumbing, etc., will most likely be weakened this year. The energy this year may be most difficult, however, for industries related to wood, wood working, publishing, trees, and medicine.

The Dreaded…Politics

Many people keep asking about the political situation, and we can gain some insight into the Year of the Fire Rooster through the same method of analysis. Fire represents passion, and it can go too far and become mania, especially in people who tend toward heat, and in hot weather.

Metal is sharp and cutting, but its nature is also about justice, or right and wrong. Since fire melts metal, justice and right and wrong will most likely suffer this year. There may also be a lack of wisdom. This all started last year, and will continue this year, along with the cutting behavior and language. It’s just the nature of the energy this year. However, next year is a double earth year, and earth represents harmony and trust, so things should be more harmonious next year. In the meantime, people will still be stressed and upset about politics. Manage it by taking breaks from it and getting together with friends and do things that bring you joy, and avoid talking about politics during play time!

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If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it with family and friends. Please give proper credit and attribution, and a link back to the blog post would be appreciated.

And hey, here’s the disclaimer: This article is for fun and entertainment purposes only. No advice is being given about anything. That means no health, medical, legal, financial, investment or any other advice, is implied or intended. Read at your own risk.

© 2017 Wendy S. Goldman // www.GoldmanWellnessCenter.com